92 points. This is the loot conquered up to now by Pierre Gasly. The Frenchman from AlphaTauri has now become the leader of the Faenza team and in this 2021 he has confirmed himself as one of the best drivers in circulation.
Perfect in qualifying, effective in the race, Pierre allowed the Italian team to keep up with Alpine in the fight for fifth place in the Constructors. Only the last appointment in Qatar has sanctioned an almost definitive overtaking by the transalpine team against the AlphaTauri and now the gap between the two teams is 25 points when there are only two rounds left at the end of the championship.
On the eve of the Jeddah Motorsport.com appointment he met Gasly in a quick meeting before the numerous commitments that mark each driver’s race weekend.
The last few appointments have seen you protagonist of fluctuating performances. Excellent performance in qualifying, but in the race you managed to shine only in Mexico and Brazil. What were the problems that affected AlphaTauri?
“In general the qualifying has always been at the top, I almost always managed to finish in the top six. In the race I must say that we only suffered in Qatar, while in Austin we were unlucky due to a mechanical problem. Brazil and Mexico were two incredible races, while Losail was a disaster ”.
“I have to say that we have always suffered with tire degradation throughout the season and we know this is one of our weaknesses. In Qatar we finished the race with no more tires available unlike our rivals. That race was the worst of our season and it was a shame after getting the best qualifying of the year ”.
Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT02
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Do you think that even in Jeddah you can suffer from similar problems given that the newly laid asphalt should guarantee little grip?
“Anything is possible and we have to be prepared for every scenario. In the past we have seen some circuits where grip was remarkable despite the fact that the asphalt had recently been laid and others with very low grip ”.
“This unknown could also be a challenge because there is sand everywhere on the track. I believe, however, that during the whole weekend there will be a significant evolution of the track ”.
After trying the Jeddah track in the simulator you said that from the cockpit it is an impressive circuit. What kind of competition should we expect?
“I think it will be a spectacular race for the public. I honestly don’t remember any street circuit with such high average speeds. Most of the time we travel at 250 km / h, skimming the walls. In Munich and Baku we have corners to go through at low speed and these allow you to correct the trajectory, but here, with corners to be tackled at high speed, you have less time to correct a mistake. You must always be precise “.
“I confirm that it will be a very fun track to tackle by car and I expect a lot of accidents. There are a lot of blind corners and I think we will see a lot of red flags ”.
Let’s get away from current events and talk about your career. In the preparatory categories you won everything and the last championship you won was that of GP2 in 2016. How difficult was it for a driver who used to win regularly having to wait until Monza to get back on the top step of the podium?
“It was very, very difficult. In the minor categories I was used to winning and when you do a good job you are rewarded with victory, trophies and celebrations. In Formula 1, however, when you still do a good job and finish seventh, because the car allows you that result, you have to be satisfied with that placement. Initially it was very difficult for me to accept this reality, but then I learned to distinguish the final result from the work done in the car ”.
![Pierre Gasly, PREMA Racing](https://cdn-9.motorsport.com/images/mgl/2wGKXoM2/s8/gp2-yas-marina-2016-pierre-gasly-prema-racing.jpg)
Pierre Gasly, PREMA Racing
Photo by: GP2 Series Media Service
“Even today, however, it is something difficult to accept. If I were behind the wheel of a top team car I could also make many mistakes, turn around, go wide or even start last and always have the chance to aim for the podium. In the middle group, however, you fight hard but then finish the races 40 seconds behind the leaders and never get a trophy. Even if you offer a fantastic performance it doesn’t give you the same satisfaction ”.
A few months ago you stated that you deserved a second chance at Red Bull in 2022. Do you believe that returning to a team fully focused on Max Verstappen could be the right choice for your career and you don’t think it is worth looking outside too of the Red Bull world?
“For now this is my goal because I am under contract with them and I want to drive the fastest car, fight for the top positions and win the championship. Obviously, to win the title and be able to compete in the race you have to have everyone around you “.
“Everyone has to push in the same direction and work towards the same goal. Max has the whole team supporting him and the same has happened in the past with Michael Schumacher. Also with AlphaTauri we have achieved great performances together by working in this way, because everyone is aiming for the same goal ”.
“I think it is possible to do it with Red Bull, this is my priority. We will see what happens in the future for both of us and we need to understand if we want to continue together or if we will have to evaluate other opportunities. At the moment, however, my priority is Red Bull ”.
![Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT02, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B](https://cdn-8.motorsport.com/images/mgl/2GznZdV0/s8/pierre-gasly-alphatauri-at02-m-1.jpg)
Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT02, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
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