Pierre Gasly Stays at AlphaTauri in 2021
Photo: Honda
Scuderia AlphaTauri has announced it will continue to employ Pierre Gasly’s driving services for the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship.
The 24-year-old Frenchman first joined AlphaTauri in 2017 when the Red Bull-owned team was still known as Toro Rosso. He moved up to the main Red Bull Racing team in 2019 but was replaced by Alexander Albon midway through after underwhelming performances.
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As it turns out, Albon hasn’t fared any better than Gasly, and Gasly’s demotion to AlphaTauri seems to have been just what the driver needed to find his mojo again. He scored his first podium at end of the 2019 season, then won his first race at the Italian Grand Prix in September.
“Pierre has proven to be highly competitive also thanks to his great race craft, extracting the car’s potential at every race and giving valuable feedback to his engineers,” said Franz Tost, AlphaTauri team principal.
“He is mentally very strong, he is always motivated and when he sets a goal he gives it his all to achieve it. I’m looking forward to extending this cooperation and having a successful 2021 season together.”
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The news that Pierre Gasly will stay at AlphaTauri also meaningfully confirms he will not once again be swapped with Albon, who has been under fire for his lackluster qualifying and race performances compared to Max Verstappen.
The Honda-powered team is currently and firmly second in the championship, and while Verstappen frequently challenges the Mercedes leaders, Albon tends to work his way backward in the same car. At the latest grand prix, held at the Algarve circuit in Portugal for the very first time, Albon started sixth and finished 12th after being lapped by his teammate, who finished on the podium.
It’s possible Albon will return to AlphaTauri the same as Gasly did, replacing Daniil Kvyat, who has been unable to match the Frenchman’s performances. But that still leaves the biggest question of the 2021 driver market unanswered: who will drive alongside Verstappen at Red Bull Racing?
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.