Marriages sometimes end up being too hasty to say the word "forever" , and it is the same in sport, especially in Formula 1 where there is no time to fix things and it is better to wait until you have everything clear rather than launching yourself into an impossible story.
Gasly's promotion to Red Bull in 2019 could only come at a more wrong time, both for the team and for the driver himself, still immature to hold a candle to the flagship of the Austrian company, Max Verstappen. After only six months of "testing", the unsatisfactory results marked the end of the adventure in the top team for Pierre and his return to the junior team.
“We will send you back to Toro Rosso in a swap for Alex Albon. It doesn't mean that with us it's the end of the story. But with all the media noise we think it's for the better." These are the words of Helmut Marko, reported in March 2021, in an open heart letter written by Pierre Gasly, for his friend Antoine Hubert, who tragically passed away in 2019 in Spa.
However, the disappointment of the French driver was repaid with the successes of the following seasons, such as the beautiful victory at Monza in 2020.
That he is a talented driver and deserves a seat in a top team at Red Bull has never hidden it. But with Max looking for his first world championship it would not have been possible to give Pierre a second chance at that precise moment. Now, with Max, Red Bull has found stability after years of hard work and the doors could reopen, both for others. pilots who for important agreements.
Red Bull's super consultant, Helmut Marko spoke to the microphones of Formel1.de, sister of Motorsport.com, about the added value that Max Verstappen brought and is bringing, excellent ambassador in the eyes of Porsche, interested in equipping Red Bull with the arrival of the new technical cycle in 2026. “Max is clearly an important figure in this whole chess game. It is not absurd to argue that its presence could be the subject of considerations by a motor company. It was very important to be able to say to a potential partner: 'look, we have the fastest driver available'. I add that when you have a guy like that in the team, it's an incentive for all members not to change teams." Marko said.
A won drivers' championship, a contract with exorbitant amounts until 2028, a team that proves to be increasingly solid, there seem to be the perfect conditions for risking the return of another driver who could raise the bar with his talent, namely Gasly, expiring with the AlphaTauri in 2023.
Red Bull already has a driver alongside Max Verstappen. Perez showed in 2021 that he can fulfill the tasks assigned to him by the team, but the 2022 season, however good it started for Checo, is still long and will be the one that will decide whether to give the Mexican a renewal or a "Thank you and goodbye". According to Marko, the performances of Gasly and Perez will therefore have to be compared this season.
Marko, who knows Gasly's potential, wouldn't want to see him go."We still have a contract with Gasly until 2023, and it's already clear that if this contract expires and we can't offer him a chance to climb, we will most likely lose him and we don't want him."
Pierre doesn't hide that he wants to get involved with a truly competitive car. Again speaking to the microphones of Motorsport.com in February he had in fact declared “I'm focused on doing my best right now, but obviously I want to be in a fast car to fight for wins and victories and that's the only thing that matters”.
“I want to win in Formula 1 and I have to have a car that allows me to win. We'll talk to Helmut about it when the time is right."
