Mercedes reserve driver de Vries got the chance to sample the W13 for the fi꧅rst time in the first practice session on Friday after༺noon at Paul Ricard.

The seven-time world champion gave up FP1 to de Vries as pa𝔉rt of the requirement for teams to field rookie drivers during practice ൲sessions throughout the 2022 F1 season. 

Borrowing Hamilton’s car, de Vries - who made his FP1 debut for Williams earlier this year at Barcelona - 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:posted a best time of a 1m35.426s on Pirelli’s softest tyres on his way to finishing the session ninth, half a seಞcond down on Mercedes regular George Russell. 

“I felt like we had a good session,” de Vries summarised following his second FP1 outing🀅 of the season. 

“I felt like we were fairly quick on the pace. The grip is high here so it gives you a lot of confidไence to 𓂃push. 

“I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my soft tyre run ꦍbecause on my second lap I made a few mistakes and then we didn’t do two consecutive. Nevertheless, it was a good session. 

“We managed to do good work for the team to get a little bit more learning on the things they have brought👍 for this weekend,♔ so generally I think it was a good session.” 

Russell previously said it is not fair on young drivers to be thrown in at the deep end and face scrutiny for their performances in practice a🍸ppearances, given the many variables at play. 

Reigning Formula E champion de Vries admitted it is “tricky” to strike the balance of completing the specific progr🙈amme set out by Mercedes against wanting to demonstrate his capabilities by setting an eye-catching lap time. 

“First of all, you are jumping in Lewis Hamilton’s car, a seven-time world champion an꧙d jumping in a Mercedes who have been dominating for the past eight seasons - so they are the best𒆙 of our sport,” de Vries explained. “That’s a real privilege and honour, so first of all you want to live up to the expectations and the honour to do that. 

“At the same time you need to be focused on the job that is expected from you, bec🤪ause they obviously have a weekend ahead. You want to show a little bit of yourself and you obviously can’t put a foot wrong. 

“That’s a difficult balance and challenge to manage, but that’s part of our job and that’s also what makes it exciꦐting, in those moments, to be given those opport🍰unities. I’ve waited for that, and I think it went well, so I’ve enjoyed it.”

Hamilton was spotted in the garage alongs♌ide Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who revealed the Briton had been helping to ‘coach’ de Vries.

“I was a bit confused because I came in there and he [Hamilton] was sat in my seat, and I t🧜hought why are you not in the car?” Wolff told Sky. 

“Obviously, I then realisඣed. It was interesting because he was coaching Nyck, he was helping him with the overlays an🍨d it was quite interesting to see.” 

Where does de Vries’ future lie? 

De Vries faces an uncertain future with Mercedes pulling out of Formula E at t♏he end of the current season, while a move to F1 with the works’ team looks highly unlikely. 

"I think if we are not able to provide him with an interesting F1 project, in a way, we need to let him go,” admitted Wolff. “We are looking at the various op�🐲�tions, sportscars or maybe Formula E. 

“You mu♉st never give up on the opportunity that an F1 door can open. Today was very, very good.” 

Wo🌼lff added: “I can’t really help him. We can’t☂ really tell any team to look at him and consider him as that would feel like an interference and that goes the contrary way.

The 27-year-old Dutchman has found himself linked♍ with an🉐 F1 seat in recent years but a move so far is yet to materialise. 

Asked if he now needs to make a choice on whether he closes the door on F1 for good, de Vries responded: “Ultimately, I don’t have the answer to that question. I think the only way to make sure to continue yourღ career successfully is to perform and do your best. 

“That’s the only thing I can do. Of course, we’ve seen a situation like with Brendon [H🅷artley at Toro Rosso], where he’s come back to F1 after doing some endurance racing for a little while. 

“You 🎶never know what’s going to happen in the future but you’ve got to be realistic and honest and ultimately the only thing I can do is to perform on track. That’s what I’ll try to do and then we’ll see.”

He added: “In general, F1 is a very dynamic industry and business and things move vꦓer♐y quickly and all I can do is my part. The rest is pretty much out of my control. 

“So I will just continue t♒o focus on that and time will tell where I will end up.”