Ricciardo was thrown out after eleven laps in a tire test

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has admitted he had doubts about Nyck de Vries signing with AlphaTauri from the start. The Dutchman, who has since been dismissed, was appointed by motorsports advisor Helmut Marko to the B team – against the will of Horner and also AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost, who would have liked to have Mick Schumacher.

After ten races, the trial again ended with de Vries, who was second choice to IndyCar driver Colton Herta. Although Horner testifies that he is “a very capable driver” and that he is also a Formula 2 and Formula E champion, the Briton was not convinced of de Vries – also because of his age.

Because De Vries is no longer a classics rookie, but at 28 he is already an old class. “I just didn’t understand how it fit into the junior program. It was always just a hiatus,” he said. Horner admits on ‘F1 Nation’ podcast.

But because he should have set a seventh-lap time that – according to Horner – would have been enough for the front row the weekend before the Grand Prix, the decision was made early: “Helmut talked to Nick because of course he’s the one who got it. I think he talked to him on the eleventh lap of the test.”

“I think that would be very difficult because that would have meant we had to leave him in the car until after summer break,” Horner says. “I think the situation was clear. What’s the point of waiting? If we do something, we can do it right away and give Daniel 12 races to see what he can do.”