F1 recently flagged off its eighth race weekend of the 2021 season at the Styrian Grand Prix with the first practice session. And Pierre Gasly secured an unexpected P2 ahead of the Mercedes duo and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. However, despite the successful outing, the Frenchman had a rather fuming moment during the session.
Gasly was on a hot lap during a low-fuel run, only to be sabotaged by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. This consequently left the AlphaTauri driver red-faced, as he ended up swearing like his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, through the team radio.
What did Pierre Gasly say?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The moment this incident took place, Gasly took to his team radio to blast off the Spaniard, reckoning that he is blind.
“Carlos is a f**king… is f**king blind. Thinks he’s alone. Honestly, I cannot f**king believe him man.
“I let him pass, like what’s the point to do such a thing?” Gasly said.
Of course, Gasly had a positive FP1 at the Red Bull Ring, lapping just over 0.2s slower than Max Verstappen. However, the drivers this season are carrying more pressure than they used to during the practice sessions.
Why, you might ask?
Well, this season, F1 revealed that FP1 and FP2 will lose 30 minutes each, adding up to an hour. And with the shortened running time, drivers are forced to squeeze their programs within the time frame, with each lap proving extremely crucial.
Can AlphaTauri F1 continue to excel in Austria?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
It was undeniably a brilliant start to AlphaTauri’s outing at the Red Bull Ring. It wasn’t just Gasly who shined in FP1, but his teammate, too; Tsunoda managed to secure P5, sandwiching the Mercedes duo.
Hence, considering how the first hour played out for AlphaTauri, they could be eyeing a strong finish in Styria, in a bid to keep Aston Martin at bay; the British outfit are just 5 points behind the Italian outfit on the constructors’ table.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Moreover, with straight-line speed being one of AlphaTauri’s biggest positives, the Red Bull Ring could be the circuit to show their dominance against the mid-field rivals. So, will AlphaTauri prove to be the alphas around the classic circuit at Spielberg?
Watch Story: F1 Drivers Fighting on Track