'I deserved a chance' at Red Bull return for 2022 says Gasly

Pierre Gasly says he feels he deserves another chance to drive for the Red Bull – insisting that his form this year for AlphaTauri has been better than when he was last given a seat at the senior team.

Gasly was promoted from Toro Rosso to Red Bull for 2019 but demoted back to the junior squad mid-season. Since then, Alex Albon took the wheel – only to be replaced by ex-Racing Point driver Sergio Perez for 2021. But the Frenchman has shone, having taken podiums this season and in 2019, winning the 2020 Italian Grand Prix to boot.

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With Perez set to stay at Red Bull with a contract extension seeing him drive for the team through 2022, Gasly was asked whether he deserved a call-up instead.

“Yes, I think I performed at a very good level this season, better than I did in 2018 when I was given the opportunity, performing a better level, more experienced and based on this year I could have deserved a better chance,” he said. “But that is the decision, it doesn’t stop my motivation, I’ve been in Sergio’s position, it’s part of obviously, a career perspective.”

“My goal is to be in Red Bull, and there’s no surprise in that, I want to be in a car which allows me to fight for wins and podiums,” he added. “That will always be the target, that’s what I’m working for every morning, working on myself, trying to be a better driver to win races and that’s the goal.

“So they made their decision, I’m happy for them that they are having a very successful season. [I will] keep pushing and try to take my chance in the future because that’s what I want, to fight for a World Championship.”

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So stellar has his form been, Gasly is on 74 points and needs just one more to eclipse his 2020 haul of 75 for AlphaTauri. He could achieve that in this weekend's United States Grand Prix.

“I’ve not yet had any great races in Austin, the best I did was 10th the last time we were there,” he said as he looked ahead to the race at the Circuit of The Americas. “I’m not particularly worried about it, because our car is working well everywhere at the moment and we just have to avoid any problems waiting to ambush us, so that we can continue to close in on Alpine in the championship.”

AlphaTauri are 12 points behind Alpine in the fight for fifth in the standings, which would represent a best championship finish for them (or their previous Toro Rosso incarnation) if they manage to eclipse the Anglo-French team.