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De la Rosa does not think De Vries is too old: 'A terrible argument'

De la Rosa does not think De Vries is too old: 'A terrible argument'

04-12-2022 19:34 Last update: 05-12-2022 08:29
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GPblog.com

Pedro de la Rosa thinks it is unfair that some say that Nyck de Vries, at 27 years old (at the start of the season even 28), would be too old to enter Formula 1 now. According to the former Formula 1 driver, it is a big misconception that a young driver is automatically also faster and therefore often preferred by racing teams. For Helmut Marko and AlphaTauri, age played no role, only speed.

Tom Coronel has also stated several times this season that De Vries' age is not a disadvantage, but rather an advantage. The Dutchman is a lot more consistent and experienced. Precisely that, according to the analyst and WTCR driver, will ensure that he will have an easier time (read: perform better) than a rookie not yet 20 years old.

De la Rosa on age stamp

De la Rosa speaks words to the same effect. Namely, he argues that being younger does not mean you are faster. The 51-year-old former driver is therefore against the age sticker, he explained at Motorsport.com. "Sometimes I've been in teams where they've taken another driver, saying he might not be faster, but he's younger. And this is a killer. When I've been in these meetings and they tell you this, there's nothing worse than that. They can tell you we think the other driver is faster than you, OK."

De la Rosa thinks age is a "terrible argument". He himself saw a seat at McLaren thwarted in late 2007 when, after years of loyal service as test and reserve driver with the team, he was passed over as Fernando Alonso's successor. That spot went to the ten years younger Heikki Kovalainen. That took some doing, says the new Aston Martin ambassador.

While he understands that teams assume that a younger driver has a bigger learning curve and will develop more and better, De la Rosa argues that this is not true in all cases. "Sometimes we think that a younger driver will develop and improve and get better through the years. Some drivers don't get better. Some drivers are already very good and stabilise, some decline, some progress. So every sportsman is different."