Ex-Red Bull prodigy weighs in on team's "s***" treatment after controversial axe

28 July 2023 , 20:50

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Dan Ticktum was part of the Red Bull driver programme as a junior

Former Red Bull junior Dan Ticktum admits Red Bull can treat drivers "like s**** sometimes" in light of Nyck De Vries' sacking.

The Formula E star was on the same grid as the Dutchman 12 months ago before he got the chance to race for Alpha Tauri. A lack of performance though saw the 2021 Formula E world champion sacked by the Red Bull hierarchy, who are renowned for their ruthless approach, after just ten races.

Ticktum was on their books as a teenager before he was dropped - a decision he described as "strange" at the time. It left him to pursue other avenues and he's now proving himself in the all-electric series. Helmut Marko, one of the senior figures at Red Bull, is often the man responsible for hiring and firing with Ticktum largely backing his judgement, but did view the treatment of De Vries as "potentially on the harsh side."

He told Mirror Sport: "I do think that racing drivers in general, especially if you're on the Red Bull programme, are treated as disposable. If you don't perform you're out, I do agree with that, but it is a complicated topic. I just think we spend 15 years of our life trying to become this article that is employable by an F1 team and for whatever reason you might not have a good engine, have a s**** chassis and people don't read into the details and you're out before you know it.

"Then you're like I spent 15 years, sacrificing my entire life and childhood, spending loads of money and then you're treated like s**** sometimes. Helmut is an example of that, I must say a lot of his decisions I agree with.

Pierre Gasly was allowed to leave AlphaTauri due to worries over his F1 future

"On the whole being that ruthless largely will get you the best drivers in the world, look at Max (Verstappen). I kind of get it, but on the other hand I think the way Nyck was treated was potentially on the harsh side."

Nyck de Vries is the latest Red Bull star to be axed mid-season (Getty Images)

De Vries failed to score a point for Alpha Tauri, who have been the least competitive car on the Formula 1 grid this season. He was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo, who has won numerous races for Red Bull in the past and is again eyeing a seat in the main team.

A host of drivers, some of whom are still in Formula 1, have felt the wrath of the Austrian outfit. Pierre Gasly was given just 12 races in 2019 before he was demoted back to Toro Rosso, who later rebranded as Alpha Tauri.

Alex Albon, the man who replaced Gasly, was given just over a season before his lack of return saw him axed for Sergio Perez, who now finds himself under the microscope going into 2024 as he struggles to compete with Verstappen in the all-conquering Red Bull.

Samuel Meade