It was a rare situation, but Hamilton was not present in his Merceds during the first free practice session of the Formula 1 French Grand Prix after giving up his place to Nyck de Vries. The German team thus fulfilled one of the two times in which each team has to field a young driver during an FP1 in the year 2022, with the aim of giving rookies the greatest possible experience with an F1.
During the 60-minute session, Lewis Hamilton was seen in the garage following what de Vries, the current Formula E world champion, was doing with his car.
The scene was strange for Toto Wolff, who in statements to the British channel Sky Sports revealed that he joked with the seven-time world champion when he was found in the Mercedes garage.
“When I arrived I was a bit confused and I saw him sitting in my seat and I said ‘why isn’t this one in the car?’
Wolff said that Hamilton was talking to his substitute during the session, acting as a tutor. “It was interesting because I was training Nyck, helping him with overtaking, with manoeuvres. It was interesting to watch.”
At the end of the session, the head of Mercedes Motorsport was asked about the future of the Dutch driver. At the end of 2022 the brand will leave Formula E and cede its position to McLaren. That puts the company in a bind over what to do with De Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne, its current drivers in the electric category.
In the case of Nyck de Vries, Wolff makes it clear what he wants. “If we are not able to offer him an interesting project in Formula 1, then we will have to let him go,” he admitted, while regretting not having the possibility of placing him in a team that uses Mercedes engines: “I really cannot help you in that “.
“He is looking at various options, sports cars (endurance) and maybe Formula E, but you never have to give up the opportunity that one day the door of Formula 1 can open for him, and today he did very well.” the austrian
