Pierre Gasly’s future in Formula 1 is beginning to look somewhat uncertain, with Sergio Pérez’s contract extension at Red Bull Racing all but ruling out a return to the side that booted him out halfway through 2019.
Since being kicked out of the frontrunning team, Gasly has performed magnificently at Red Bull’s sister team Scuderia AlphaTauri.
Since rejoining the Italian side Gasly has collected many points finishes, podiums and even famously victory at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix.
However, none of his achievements at AlphaTauri have really materialised into any negotiations with a top team.
Gasly was rumoured to have been upset by Pérez’ two-year contract extension, with the Frenchman desperate for a return to the Austrian team.
Red Bull’s senior advisor Dr Helmut Marko has revealed that he spoke to the Frenchman prior to Pérez’s announcement.
“Before Perez signed his contract, I naturally spoke to Gasly,” said Marko.
The French driver is contracted with Red Bull until the end of 2023, meaning that he at least has a seat for next season with AlphaTauri, should he want it.
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AlphaTauri remains as the only realistic option at least for next season, with the Mercedes F1 Team, Scuderia Ferrari and McLaren F1 Team’s having drivers contracted until the end of next year.
Should Fernando Alonso retire, then a seat would become available at the Alpine F1 Team, however, this seat would all but certainly go to 2021 F2 World Champion Oscar Piastri.
Gasly’s best chance at a top seat would come in 2024, where a number of drivers will likely switch teams or retire.
Marko agrees that Gasly will most likely have to wait until after 2023 for a move, but also believes that AlphaTauri is currently the best option for him.
“We have to see what happens after 2023,” the 79-year-old continued.
“If you look at the history of Red Bull, there is one characteristic that sets us apart – our continuity and planning ahead. We therefore wanted to be clear about the coming years.
“What is the alternative for Gasly?” Marko asked rhetorically.
“I don’t think there is currently an alternative that would be significantly better than AlphaTauri,” concluded the Austrian.