2021 Formula E World Champion Nyck de Vries is “of interest” to the Nissan Formula E Team, following the Dutch driver’s axing from AlphaTauri.
It was confirmed last Tuesday by the Faenza-based team that De Vries had been fired just 10 races into his rookie campaign, a sacking which has been described as “brutal” by retired four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
The 28-year-old has been replaced by Red Bull development driver Daniel Ricciardo, who’ll be alongside Yuki Tsunoda for the remainder of the 2023 season, starting at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Whilst De Vries’ F1 career is likely over already following his firing, it appears that he may return to racing sooner rather than later.
It’s been reported by The Race that Nissan are interested in signing the ex-Formula E driver, who left the series for Formula 1 at the end of 2022.
The Japanese manufacturer are considering De Vries for their vacant 2024 seat, with Norman Nato reportedly not being retained by the side.
Team Principal Tommaso Volpe is yet to confirm who Nissan will field next season, but he did admit that the Dutch driver is “of interest”. Talks between De Vries and Nissan are believed to have taken place recently.
Volpe went as far as telling The Race that “everyone in Formula E has probably thought about him [De Vries], from the moment he got available.
“He’s of interest as one of the drivers available for next season. He is interesting as a world champion, but I cannot confirm what we are doing.”
A return to Formula E with Nissan does appear to be De Vries’ best option currently for 2024; however, he’s not the only driver being considered for the seat.
Nissan have supposedly also held talks with Oliver Rowland, who left Mahindra Racing mid-season ahead of the Jakarta E-Prix.
Rowland has previously competed for Nissan in FE, with him having left the side at the end of 2021 to join the Indian manufacturer.
A bonus for De Vries if he does make the switch to Nissan is that the side would be happy for him to compete for fellow Japanese manufacturer Toyota in the World Endurance Championship, something he was originally meant to do this season.
Prior to his AlphaTauri move, De Vries was expected to race for Maserati MSG Racing in FE, alongside an endurance racing programme with Toyota. Whilst he doesn’t have a deal in place currently with Toyota, a move to Nissan in the all-electric series would at least leave the door open to a potential drive in WEC.
