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The writing is on the wall for Pierre Gasly when it comes to his prospects of a Red Bull seat. With Sergio Perez having signed a two-year extension with the Milton Keynes-based outfit, Gasly is in a position similar to Carlos Sainz half a decade back.
By 2017, Sainz had spent multiple years at Scuderia Toro Rosso and proven himself to be the better driver within the team. Red Bull, however, had Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, a driver pairing that was one of the best on the grid. Sensing a lack of growth prospects within the team, the Spaniard decided to move outside the Red Bull family and join Renault. The rest, as they say, is history, as Sainz has since then grown over the years to become a Ferrari driver this season.
Pierre Gasly now finds himself in a similar situation, with Perez having 2 more confirmed years at Red Bull and Verstappen staying until 2028. The French driver has even confirmed in the media that he is looking for a move outside AlphaTauri. Moreover, Red Bull has shown in the past that it is willing to let the junior drivers go if they do not want to stay with the team (eg. Sainz). In this piece, we take a look at the possible options that the Frenchman could have outside the Red Bull family.
3 possible destinations for Pierre Gasly in the future
#3 Mercedes (wait for Lewis Hamilton to retire next season)
Pierre Gasly has a contract with AlphaTauri until the end of the 2023 F1 season. Even if he does not make an immediate switch at the end of this season, there is a probability of another vacancy that could entice the entire grid.
The end of the 2023 F1 season will see Lewis Hamilton out of contract at Mercedes and by the looks of it, that might just be it for the F1 legend. Closer to his 40s than his 30s with a young, extremely talented driver snapping at his heels, the motivation might not be there for Hamilton to continue.
Mercedes will then look for a replacement and a proven race winner, and Pierre Gasly could just be the driver who will be amongst the shortlisted names. Although the Brackley-based outfit has other options like Esteban Ocon, Nyck de Vries, and maybe even Daniel Ricciardo (depending on his availability), Gasly's name will feature prominently on that list. Although it is still a long shot, if the Frenchman does not feel comfortable moving to any other midfield team right now, he could hold out for Mercedes and try his luck there.
#2 Aston Martin
At the stage at which Pierre Gasly is in his career, he's looking to fight for podiums, wins, and championships. If that is not an option right now, he could be looking to become part of a team that has the potential to become title contenders in the future.
On the current grid, Aston Martin fits that mold perfectly. The team has seen a significant influx of finances from Lawrence Stroll and the billionaire wants to fight at the front. With Sebastian Vettel's reticence in continuing with the team, the Silverstone-based outfit could look at Gasly as a fast, young, and consistent performer who could take the team to the front. At the moment, a switch from AlphaTauri to Aston Martin would also allow him to become the team leader and express himself, something that's not entirely feasible at the Red Bull sister team.
#1 McLaren
Arguably the most viable and lucrative option for Pierre Gasly at the moment is a switch to McLaren. The Woking-based outfit is arguably at the forefront of the midfield pack. The team has established itself as the fourth fastest in the last few years and is on the cusp of making it to the front-running group.
Moreover, its relationship with Daniel Ricciardo seems to be heading for a split and the team could be looking for a replacement for next season. While names like Colton Herta and Pato O'Ward have been thrown around, what's pretty obvious is that neither of those options, although impressive, are proven in F1. Pierre Gasly, on the other hand, is a proven race winner, and drivers of that ilk are not available all the time. A move to McLaren against a strong teammate like Lando Norris might just be the platform that the 26-year-old needs to rise to prominence in F1.
Gasly did get a bit of a rough deal at Red Bull in 2019. Since then, the Frenchman has proven himself time and again, and a place in a better seat will be a justified reward for the driver.
