Helmut Marko has explained why Nyck de Vries had to go, the Austrian claiming that after ten races the team wasn't seeing any improvement.

Not for nothing do we refer to Marko as Red Bull's Lord High Executioner, for the Austrian has a fearsome, no nonsense reputation when it comes to hiring and especially firing.

While he was the driving force behind the Red Bull young driver programme which nurtured the careers of dozens of up and coming youngsters, he was also the one who eventually called time on their careers.

Even being a countryman of Marko's didn't help Christian Klien, who was dumped by Red Bull with three rounds of the 2006 season remaining, thereby setting a trend that continues to this day.

While fans celebrate the return of Daniel Ricciardo, the fact is that Nyck de Vries' career lies in tatters.

"We contracted Nyck because he performed great at Monza last year," Marko tells De Telegraaf. "We expected him to be at least equal to his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda this year, but that was not the case.

"Actually, he was always three-tenths of a second slower," he adds. "We didn't see any improvement."

While some, including fellow drivers, have argued that other than having what is seemingly the worst car on the grid, de Vries has only had ten races in which to prove himself. This cuts no ice with Marko.

"He is 28 years old, has a lot of experience," he says of the 2019 F2 champion and two-time Karting world champion, "and has also been able to gain a lot of knowledge as a test driver in various Formula 1 cars.

"You can't compare him to a young rookie in my eyes. At the end of April in Baku, he started the weekend well and I thought he was going to perform better, but then he crashed again. He, unfortunately, didn't do one super lap that we were amazed by.

"We had to do something," he insists. "Why should we wait and what do two more races matter if you don't see any improvement? Nyck is a very pleasant guy, but the speed just wasn't there."

Asked if there remains a future for the youngster in F1, Marko further twists the knife. "It will be difficult, I think," he says. "But at the same time, I do think he saw this coming. I think he can build a nice career in long-distance racing."

Referring to Ricciardo's test on Tuesday, following which the Australian's return to the grid was confirmed, Marko says: "His lap times were competitive, on three different tyre sets.

"Had Ricciardo not had the speed, we would have had to consider something else," he adds.

"But AlphaTauri is not in a good position and is last in the constructors' standings, so we have to do something to bring something about. That often happens after a driver change, Ricciardo brings new energy to the team."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Simon in Adelaide, 13/07/2023 1:39

"This happens in all walks of life.

As a Professional Engineer I have known several engineering graduates who were competent designers but were never to make the step up to becoming Engineers and after some heart-to-heart conversations they settled into project management.

It is better to understand your limitations early and change your focus rather than chase something that will never be attainable."

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2. Posted by kenji, 13/07/2023 0:38

"I do think that there is far more going on than we could possible contemplate. At one stage there were rumours that AT was going to be sold off then the new managemenrt put in place after DM's passing seem to have taken a different approach to the business by recognising the latent potential of AT once they are functioning properly with a competetive car. The firing of DV was a smart move. He was going nowhere so it was a valid excuse if needed and it was timely to replace him with Ricciardo who was immediately available on loan, We know he has speed and development skills and that combination would help AT to get to grips with a new car for '24. It also gives RB multiple alternative strategies if Perez doesn't come up with the necessary performances to hold his seat. It's also possible that DR will become the team leader in '24 for AT and if the car is good then stay on, if as proposed AT takes advantage of a closer relationship with RB thereby moving the team up the ladder.. I see Mintzlaff's hand in all of this as he would be seeking to turnaround the AT mess as soon as possible. That makes him look good as well to the shareholders. While the moves we've seen over the past 48hrs seem simple enough there is far more 'swirling undercurrents' taking place IMO. 2024 will be a new beginning with the arrival of Laurent Mekies as a replacement for Tost who I believe has lost interest and will most likely keep up as a consultant. Understandable. How this all plays out will be quite fascinating......let's go."

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3. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 12/07/2023 19:37

"Its harsh but then again its RedBull. I feel bad for De Vries, a half a season to try and get something out of a car that probably drives like a milk van. Not being able to drive a car the way you want is horrible. Its like trying to run a marathon while someone running behind you is pulling on your shirt collar.
It also doesn't help his case that the two races he DNF, Yuki picked up points. It seems Marko wants Alpha Tauri to start punching above its weight this season and unfortunately for De Vries, Yuki has full body armor in the name of Honda equipped and Marko can't touch him for the time being while they got Honda PUs in their cars.

So now, Ricky-ardo (As Horner likes to say it) absolutely has to grab a point or two for the rest of the season. Good for him to get back in the game but I don't envy that amount of pressure he's jumping into. "

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4. Posted by Chester, 12/07/2023 17:29

"@Malemoi, Marko may be past his sell date but only the team knows that. Right now Red Bull look unassailable on any front."

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5. Posted by Malemoi, 12/07/2023 15:56

"Marko is past his sell by date - time to move on"

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De Vries: "We had to do something, insists Marko

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