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Mercedes would 'welcome back' de Vries as F1 reserve

Mercedes F1 engineering director Andrew Shovlin says the Brackley squad would welcome back Nyck de Vries in a reserve role with the team.

The Dutchman was ousted from AlphaTauri last week after ten races with the Faenza-based outfit, having failed to fulfil the team's expectations and improve his form.

De Vries' impressive credentials include winning the FIA Formula 1 Championship in 2019 and the the FIA Formula E world title in 2021.

From to 2020 to 2021, de Vries was a reserve and development driver for Mercedes, which means that he is well acquainted with the task of supporting the team's efforts.

Although Mercedes is open to re-establishing a working relationship with de Vries, Shovlin reckoned that the Dutchman is likely to be offered a full racing programme in another category of racing.

Read also: Tost admits de Vries ousting was 'a very emotional decision'

Nissan has already expressed an interest in the 28-year-old's services for its Formula E outfit while Toyota Gazoo Racing is also rumored to be considering de Vries for its WEC squad.

"I think Nyck will be looking for more than just to become a simulator driver so he'll want to be doing racing," commented Shovlin in Hungary, quoted by Motorsport.com.

"I've only spoken to him by text, and he said he'll let me know how his plans are coming on.

"He was certainly very useful for us in that role and we would be welcome to get him back in that role. But I suspect his focus will be on finding race seats.

"If it's not in Formula 1, in some other big and competitive series. He's clearly very talented: an F2 champion, a Formula E champion, which is a very difficult series to win.

"He'll be looking back to get into a winning seat again."

Earlier this week, de Vries broke his radio silence, posting a message on social media in which he admitted that his exit from F1 "hurt".

"But life is not a destination," he said, "it’s a journey, and sometimes you have to take the hard road to get where you want to be."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.