Pierre Gasly eyeing 'key move' for 2023 Formula 1 season

AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly is seen by many as one of Formula 1’s most underrated drivers. The 25-year-old Frenchman was one of the most consistent midfield performers in 2021.

Unsurprisingly, this saw his seat in F1 confirmed for the 2022 season. However, the fact he’s only got a year left on his current deal means there is speculation over his 2023 move.

And this is something Gasly is aware of. In a recent interview, he stated clearly that he believes his 2023 career move will be a ‘key’ one.

“I think it’s going to be a key move,” he told The Race. “We’ll have to see what the view of Red Bull is over the next few years because now it’s been eight years I’ve been with them.

“It’s a long time and obviously at the moment they have a very competitive car. I need to see what they are going to do with Max and how they move forward, but obviously I need to think also about my career.

“I’m still very young, I’m 25, but my goal is to be in the first seat once these guys (top teams) are going to look at who can be a replacement.

“I was ninth in the drivers’ championship. All of the eight guys ahead of me are the drivers who are running for the four best constructors.

“That’s why it’s important for me to show that if there is a free seat, I should be the first choice.”

What are the options for Pierre Gasly?

Gasly has been a man recharged since his mid-2019 ‘demotion’ from Red Bull to the then-Toro Rosso team. Since that time he’s become a race winner and a consistent point-scorer.

As such, a return to the Red Bull senior team is seen as not out of the realms of possibility. However, that is not yet set in stone as things stand.

“First of all, my priority is Red Bull,” said Gasly. “But at the moment, they have decided to continue with Sergio (Perez).

“I don’t know what they’re going to plan. They’re saying probably 2023 there could be an option, so yeah, I’ll try to put myself in the best position for that.”

It is worth noting, however, that there is a belief that he’s burned his bridges with Red Bull’s senior management. This means that his future might lay outside of the Red Bull set-up.

The issue is that most teams are sorted in the long-term. Mercedes have Lewis Hamilton and George Russell until the end of 2023 – assuming Hamilton doesn’t retire.

Ferrari have Charles Leclerc on a multi-year deal, although Carlos Sainz is signed till 2022 only. That being said, the Spaniard leaving the side seems unlikely as of now.

McLaren have Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris on long-term deals. This, in effect, rules out all the ‘top teams’. Of the midfield teams the likes of Alpine and Alfa Romeo might have vacancies, as will Williams.

But these would be either backwards or sideways moves for Gasly. His ‘key move’, it seems, will only reveal itself in due course.