Today’s confirmation that Pierre Gasly will continue to drive for AlphaTauri in Formula 1 in 2023 is probably the least surprising announcement of the season. Back in Canada, team boss Franz Tost had made it absolutely clear that Gasly would not go anywhere. He said the Frenchman is “100 per cent” confirmed for 2023.
To a 90-word question as to whether he could describe the talks with Gasly, Tost answered in just ten of his own words: “He has a valid contract. There’s nothing more to say.”
Actually, it was not new information that Gasly has a valid contract for 2023. In March, the Frenchman said in an interview that “it’s no longer a secret that after this year I still have a year’s contract”.
Nevertheless, Tost’s statements and today’s announcement by AlphaTauri seem to be seen as a big step in the driver market for 2023.
It is important to mention that Gasly’s deals have always been made with Red Bull, not specifically with AlphaTauri. Red Bull have the freedom to place Gasly on a team of their choice. That’s why you could easily demote him back to Toro Rosso in 2019 after it didn’t work out for him at Red Bull.
Pérez extension changes everything
An important factor ahead of the season was Sergio Pérez’s future. The Mexican hadn’t exactly turned the world upside down in his first year alongside Max Verstappen, and had that been the case in 2022 Gasly would have had his foot in the door very quickly for a second chance to get Red Bull.
However, as Pérez has shown improving form this year, talks with him quickly ended. Shortly after his victory in Monaco, Pérez was not only confirmed for 2023, but also for 2024.
The news was of course a setback for Gasly, who could have used 2024 to set the course: either they bring him back to Red Bull or the team loses him. Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko also considered this scenario to be likely.
Gasly: Solid choice
In Baku, Gasly said that from Red Bull’s point of view it was “logical” to keep Pérez because he brings everything Red Bull is looking for in a teammate for Max Verstappen. He himself wanted to “consider all options after 2023”. By then, he should also have built a reputation that could make him a hot stock in the open driver market.
That’s why it was so important for AlphaTauri to make it clear that Gasly won’t be going anywhere in the coming season. Because the silly season is slowly picking up speed again.
Gasly has been one of the most consistent drivers in Formula 1 over the past few years. He is a Grand Prix winner, podium driver and regularly scores points for his small team as leader. Any team looking for an experienced pilot will have exactly what they need.
His attempt at a top team may have failed, but so did Sergio Pérez at McLaren in 2013. He took a long way back to a top team, with years of hard work and good performances in midfield – much like Gasly.
McLaren as the obvious variant?
One of the most obvious teams Gasly has been linked with is McLaren, where Daniel Ricciardo’s future is more than uncertain. As with Gasly, Ricciardo’s contract expires in 2023, but managing director Zak Brown had recently spoken of “mechanisms” that allow the contract to end prematurely. Whether he will still be in Woking next year is an open question.
Brown said in Canada his relationship with Ricciardo had “never been so good” and stressed that McLaren’s focus must be on giving its drivers a better car. “Things could be better,” Brown said of Ricciardo’s form, “but we will work hard and make sure they do that in the future.”
Gasly did not have any other attractive options for the coming season: Aston Martin and Haas are the only teams where there are still question marks for 2023 because of Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher.
Oscar Piastri looks set to take Nicholas Latifi’s place at Williams. The Australian would be loaned out by Alpine because there is no place there and Fernando Alonso shows little sign of retiring.
18 months application opportunity
Today’s confirmation is nonetheless a public statement of faith from Gasly and AlphaTauri, brushing aside any hints that he might be racing elsewhere next season.
Gasly said in the press release confirming him for next year that “being able to plan our development with the team for the next 18 months is a good working basis going forward”.
But the endorsement is more than that: it also gives him an 18-month application period to get a cockpit with a larger racing team if he’d like to race up front again.
The driver market could really get moving for 2024 given the number of drivers whose contracts will expire by then. For Gasly, it becomes all the more interesting to talk about his future when new opportunities arise.