Why Leaving Alpha Tauri Will Be Good Riddance for Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly is arguably one of the hottest commodities in Formula One today. At just 25 years old, the Frenchman’s performances for AlphaTauri have been nothing short of exceptional over the past two seasons.

With the Rouen-born driver’s contract expiring at the end of this season, he looks likely to move to another team next season.

Has Pierre Gasly done enough to earn a seat at a team above AlphaTauri?

Gasly made his debut for Toro Rosso back in 2017 as a promising 21-year-old. After an impressive stint with the Italian outfit, he got the call up to Red Bull in 2019 to replace the outgoing Daniel Ricciardo.

While Red Bull expected Gasly to help the team in the constructors’ championship, he was far from their expectations. In fact, the Frenchman found himself lapped by Max Verstappen in most races. After scoring just 63 points at the summer break, Alex Albon replaced Gasly, sending him back to Toro Rosso.

However, the 25-year-old’s second stint with Red Bull’s sister team was a renaissance. Gasly quickly found his pace and secured his first F1 podium at the Brazilian Grand Prix. In 2020, Gasly added on to that by winning his very first race at the chaotic Italian Grand Prix. In addition, he regularly challenged midfield teams throughout the season despite having slightly inferior machinery.

Despite his success since rejoining AlphaTauri, his stint in 2019 with Red Bull could affect his chances to join a top team. While he is a race winner with a midfield team, Red Bull may fear a repeat of 2019 because he would join them with a bigger reputation than before.

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Could Red Bull bring back Gasly in 2022?

The Frenchman certainly made a strong case for himself over the first nine races this season. While he took his third career podium in Baku, he displayed excellent single-lap pace in the recently concluded triple-header.

Although Sergio Perez‘s contract with Red Bull expires at the end of the season, the Mexican’s performances have been convincing. It’s very rare for Red Bull to re-sign a driver, especially after letting them go mid-season. However, Red Bull could look at their long-term goals, especially given the new technical regulations from next season which could boost Gasly’s chances.

While five teams have confirmed their driver lineups, Red Bull could be the only team that could help him regularly compete at the front. Although renewing his contract with AlphaTauri keeps him in the hunt for a Red Bull seat, Gasly would want to move up the field sooner rather than later.

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