Max Verstappen & Nyck de Vries

During the 2024 Dutch GP weekend, Max Verstappen revealed that former F1 driver Nyck de Vries reached out to him for help ahead of his Super Formula debut. Unfortunately, Verstappen was unable to assist his compatriot.

De Vries wanted a go at Verstappen’s personal simulator to prepare for his race at Motegi. But he couldn’t, because the Red Bull driver was not at home. During the recently concluded Dutch GP weekend, Verstappen said,

“He asked me if he could jump on my simulator quickly to do a few laps around Motegi. Unfortunately, I wasn’t at home at the time. Otherwise, I would have set it up for him.”

Verstappen and De Vries share a good relationship, which is likely why the latter turned to him for help. Verstappen is known for being an avid sim racer and has a professional set-up at home, which he uses to compete in virtual racing events and prepare for F1 races.

De Vries, however, couldn’t get his hands on it. He traveled to Japan for his Super Formula debut for Team Impul and finished the race in P13. The 29-year-old is a mid-season appointment and is also scheduled to take part in the double-header at Fuji between 11-13 October.

De Vries has always loved Japan and kept an eye out for Super Formula. He has signed for just two races in 2024 but remains open to considering a full-time move in the future. In an interview with Motorsport, he said,

“You never know what the future holds but if there is an opportunity to combine this with something else, I’ll be very happy to do it.”

De Vries is trying to find his feet and win championships in different disciplines around the world as he looks to rebuild his career after a disastrous F1 stint in 2023. AlphaTauri (now RB) signed him up, but after just 10 races, they got Daniel Ricciardo in to replace him.

Since then, De Vries has competed in Formula E, World Endurance Championship, and now Super Formula.