De Vries still dreams of F1 seat: 'I am very grateful to Mercedes'

Nyck de Vries came into action during VT1 at Monza for the third time this year in a Formula 1 session. The Mercedes reserve was allowed to step into Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin on Friday, but has no certainty about his future. De Vries himself believes he has proven himself sufficiently to deserve an F1 seat.

"I believe I would not be out of place here and that I deserve a chance. That is still my dream. At the same time, I am not the one who makes the decision," De Vries said in conversation with The Telegraph. Williams, where a seat may become available next year if the team decides to part company with Nicholas Latifi, seems to be the best option for the 27-year-old Dutchman. However, he is not the only candidate for that seat.

He says he is not worried about his future, partly because he has proven himself in other racing classes. In the meantime, talks are taking place with various parties, with the free practice sessions De Vries was allowed to drive this year certainly helping. "I am very grateful to Mercedes for giving me all these opportunities," said the driver, who is also likely to get a chance in George Russell's Mercedes later this year.