The first half of the 2023/2024 Formula E season is officially over after the Monaco E-Prix. For De Vries, the first half of the season did not go as he would have wanted.
The Dutchman is still winless after eight races, just like teammate Edoardo Mortara. But if we look at the Monaco E-Prix, there is a positive development. De Vries managed to qualify in P13 on Saturday, which is a significant improvement compared to the disappointing qualifications in Misano. This seems to be a good omen for the rest of the season. “I agree with you that this weekend as a whole was more positive than Misano,” De Vries said after the race. GPFans. “Unfortunately we couldn’t quite get it together in qualifying, so we were a bit stuck in midfield again. But I share the observation that we were in a slightly better position this weekend than last weekend.”
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De Vries finds it difficult to stay out of trouble in Formula E
The Monaco E-Prix was extremely chaotic, partly due to a number of incidents. It was important for the drivers to stay out of trouble, but that is easier said than done. Asked how difficult it is to stay out of trouble, De Vries laughs: “I wish I had the answer.” According to the Dutchman, the race felt more like a kart race than anything else. “I really do not know; I don’t have an answer to it. My PR lady just asked the same thing and I honestly don’t have an answer. It seems that the more aggressive you are, the more you gain. It is a kind of risk versus reward, what you have to take to take positions. But if your car is damaged, things won’t turn out well either. Yes, it is a way of racing that I don’t know very well,” concludes the driver from Sneek.
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De Vries agrees with Frijns’ criticism
After the E-Prix in Monte Carlo, Robin Frijns noted that the problems do not only occur in Monaco. De Vries agrees with him. “That’s right, that one [gedachte] I share.” De Vries, like Frijns, believes that Formula E needs to change something, but he has no idea what exactly that should be. “I don’t have the solution.” Suggested that the race in Monaco was more like a Mario Kart competition than anything else, the Dutchman can only nod yes. “I completely understand and actually I share your observations and opinions.”
