Nyck de Vries will make his second appearance in a Formula 1 practice session this weekend in France, taking Lewis Hamilton’s place at Mercedes.
The reigning Formula E champion will step into the seven-times Formula 1 champion’s W13 as Mercedes test further upgrades to their car.
De Vries previously drove Alexander Albon’s Williams in the first practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix. He impressed by lapping almost tenth of a second faster than the team’s regular driver Nicholas Latifi.
Formula 1 teams are required to run drivers with limited experience in a practice session in each of their two cars at least once this season, under a new regulation introduced this year. Mercedes say Hamilton’s team mate George Russell will give up his car at a practice session later in the season.
Following a difficult start to the season, Mercedes has enjoyed a more competitive run in recent races. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said the team will bring further updates to its car this weekend in a bid to narrow its deficit to Red Bull and Ferrari.
“We scored three podiums in the first seven races and we have now achieved four in the last four,” said Wolff. “I’m pleased with the momentum we are building and it reflects the mammoth effort of the team. Our understanding of the W13 is growing with every lap and it’s encouraging to see that reflected in our development and results.
“While we were quicker in Austria, we still weren’t quick enough to challenge at the front. We need to keep chasing those final few tenths and bringing new developments to the cars, including this weekend in France.”
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2022 French Grand Prix
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