Embracing a post-Formula 1 path, Nyck de Vries has set his efforts toward Harvard University. Since his out-of-the-ordinary departure from AlphaTauri following the British Grand Prix, de Vries’ career has faded. His choice appears to be in line with a rising trend among ex-Formula 1 drivers who decide to get back into the world of education.
During a conversation with RacingNews365, he said, “I’ve never studied before in my life, in fact, I didn’t even finish high school. But in September I’m going to take a course at Harvard. Negotiation and Leadership, a little bit of studying.” de Vries has chosen to broaden his horizons after leaving the F1 circuit by enrolling in a Negotiation and Leadership course at one of the most prestigious universities in the world such as Harvard in the United States.
Nyck de Vries has set his sights on a Harvard course. The Dutch racer, who saw a short F1 stint, plans to study Negotiation and Leadership at Harvard.
“I had a lot of support and it actually went very naturally. I’ve been playing a lot of golf since then,” de Vries shared about… pic.twitter.com/zB3dIzLtLd
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) August 11, 2023
But pursuing higher education is not something just de Vries did. Fellow Formula 1 driver Nicholas Latifi has recently revealed his plans to enroll at London Business School, with the program expected to start this month. However, Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, appears as he too holds an executive fellowship and lectures as a guest at Harvard Business School. This shows that the F1 industry is not poles apart from the education world.
So is Nyck de Vries’ Formula 1 career over?
Only 10 races had gone by since he joined the AlphaTauri team before they decided to bring Daniel Ricciardo back onto the Formula 1 grid. de Vries regrettably had to wait a very long time to make his Formula 1 debut. The previous Formula 2 and Formula E champion did not make his racing debut until he was 27 years old. He is now establishing a new direction for himself despite this setback.
🚨 Nyck de Vries will give a demo run in a F2 car during JACK’S Racing Day in Assen next week!
De Vries is now also associated with various Formula E teams and with a possible return to endurance racing.
[@ErikvHaren / Telegraaf] #F1 pic.twitter.com/JoNDvBfuqn
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) August 5, 2023
In the past, the emerging Dutch talent had received a no-go due to poor performance, Helmut Marko, advisor of Red Bull’s driver development program. Nyck de Vries seemed to be headed for an upward trajectory after his special P9 finish at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, which he earned while making his debut for Williams while taking over for the injured Alex Albon. But that did not seem to work out for the driver in the long haul.
He has expressed a desire to continue doing activities he hadn’t attempted in the past, with golf being one of them. Regarding his motorsports career, it seems that his experience in endurance racing and Formula E is sure to benefit him as he proceeds forward. de Vries’ journey has essentially been one of ups and downs, with some people appreciating his potential and criticizing his performance in the sport.