De Vries was sacked by Crimson Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko final week after a disappointing first half to the 2023 marketing campaign.
His axing is the most recent within the lengthy line of mid-season swaps by Crimson Bull, with the Dutchman being changed by Daniel Ricciardo from this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Hamilton, who labored with de Vries when he was a Mercedes reserve driver in 2021 and 2022, made it clear that he felt the transfer to interchange him earlier than the summer season break was untimely.
Requested if he felt that de Vries was dropped too early, Hamilton mentioned: “Sure. However that is how Crimson Bull do it.”
Pushed on whether or not there was a side of it being how F1 works, in being powerful on rookies, Hamilton added: “You possibly can say that is how Crimson Bull works.”
Whereas Hamilton felt that Crimson Bull’s transfer had been hasty, he maintained religion that de Vries’ racing profession was removed from over regardless of the setback.
“I used to be positively shocked to see the choice for poor Nyck,” mentioned Hamilton. “He is such a proficient younger man, and such a pleasant man as properly.
“I believe the longer term remains to be shiny for him and he could have a lot of nice choices for the longer term.”
Nyck de Vries, AlphaTauri AT04
Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
De Vries’ exit from F1 has opened a chance for Ricciardo, whose return is not any shock for Hamilton primarily based on how ingrained he has been in F1 weekends up to now this season.
“He has been right here all 12 months,” mentioned Hamilton. “He is been in each drivers’ briefing this 12 months.
“So he was within the drivers’ briefings, however not been really competing, which is uncommon. You do not usually see a reserve driver within the drivers’ briefing, however I believe I am not shocked to see him again.”
De Vries is the most recent driver who has been the sufferer of a mid-season driver shuffle at Crimson Bull, though these have usually revolved across the vitality drink firm’s predominant workforce.
Daniil Kvyat misplaced his Crimson Bull seat in a swap with Max Verstappen in 2016, whereas Pierre Gasly was swapped for Alex Albon in 2019.
Albon lasted till the top of the 2020 season and moved right into a third-driver position with Crimson Bull earlier than making a profitable racing return with Williams in 2022.
