"We need to see how to make this work" - Pierre Gasly considering all options after Red Bull extended Sergio Perez's contract at the team

Pierre Gasly during the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan - Previews
Pierre Gasly during the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan - Previews

Pierre Gasly is reportedly considering available options outside of the Red Bull family after he was snubbed in favor of Sergio Perez. The Frenchman’s ongoing contract with AlphaTauri is set to expire at the end of the current season.

Speaking to RN365 ahead of the Azerbaijan GP, he said:

“At the moment, beyond 2023, I consider all options, as I don’t have, I don’t have anything beyond that. [Red Bull] want to keep me and they want to keep me in the program, but we need to see how to make this work... After 10 years of a relationship, they have known me since I was a kid. We have a really good relationship with Helmut [Marko, Red Bull’s special advisor], and I think it’s a matter of finding how to make this work for all of us.”

Pierre Gasly openly harbored hopes of returning to Red Bull Racing after he was dropped by the team midway through the 2019 season for failing to meet performance expectations.

Despite his standout performances with their sister team Alpha Tauri in the last few seasons, Red Bull opted not to rehire Gasly, instead choosing to retain Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen for a further two seasons.

This came as a blow to Gasly’s hopes of graduating to a team capable of competing for race wins and podiums on the regular. The Frenchman, however, has claimed that Red Bull’s decision wasn’t a surprise to him. He said:

“It’s not like it was a surprise, because I’m a very objective person. Based on what they expect from the second driver, Perez ticks all the boxes. He’s having an amazing season, performing very well, has good experience, and he’s a good fit for the team.”

Pierre Gasly wants to be at the sharp end of F1 grid

Pierre Gasly says that his ambitions in F1 are more than just competing in the top 10. The Alpha Tauri driver wants to compete for race victories and podiums regularly. Speaking to RN365, he said:

“Personally, my ambitions are more than just fighting for the top 10. That’s not what I work for every day. I want more than that. I want to fight at the front.”

Since his demotion from Red Bull, Pierre Gasly has proven that he deserves to be in F1 and is capable of competing against the very best in the sport. Having taken his maiden career victory amidst a chaotic race in Monza in 2020, the Frenchman has also gone on to amass multiple podium finishes.

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Edited by Anurag C