Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso, Interlagos, 2019

Gasly: Return to Toro Rosso ‘showed me how much F1 is a team sport’

2019 Brazilian Grand Prix

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Pierre Gasly says his improved form since returning to Toro Rosso from Red Bull has shown him the importance of teamwork in Formula 1.

He lost his place at Red Bull after 12 races for them at the start of the year. Alexander Albon, who took his place at the team, was this week confirmed by Red Bull as one of their two drivers for next year, a decision which came as no surprise to Gasly.

“I knew it was going to be like this,” he said. “So ultimately it wasn’t really a surprise.”

“I had discussions with Helmut [Marko, Red Bull motorsport consultant] and the team and this was something which was quite clear between them and myself,” he added.

Since returning to Toro Rosso, who he drove for last year, Gasly has out-scored team mate Daniil Kvyat. Gasly said this showed the importance of getting the most out of his interaction with the team, which has helped him perform more consistently.

“The second half of the season, the main lesson on my side that I’ve learned is I realised how much of a team sport Formula 1 is,” he said. “I think that’s the main lesson I’ve learned over the last couple of months.

“We’ve showed with Toro Rosso since I returned in Spa that we have had really competitive races, really competitive weekends, a couple of Q3s, four points finishes. So it’s been a really strong second part of the season.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with the team since I came back in Spa. They’ve given me everything I need to perform consistently every weekend, which at the end makes it more enjoyable.”

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10 comments on “Gasly: Return to Toro Rosso ‘showed me how much F1 is a team sport’”

  1. Unfortunately for him, STR isn’t a team for long-term F1-careers, so to stay in F1 longer-term, he’s got to leave the RB-family altogether unless he gets a re-promotion to the senior team.

    1. Sure, that’s definitely a correct statement, but on the other hand, PG wakes up in the morning, looks in the mirror, and says ‘Can you believe it? Of all the race drivers in the world, I have one of only 20 seats in the pinnacle of racing, F1.’

      I do hear you, and it is up to him to take this opportunity and impress the other teams by outdriving his equipment, and becoming a desirable force for the future.

      1. @robbie Valid point that as well, fair enough.

  2. Yup as in if your team gives you slow set ups your going to be slow. Especially if that same team is giving your teammate all the attention and fastest set ups that comparison is gonna look even worse

    1. @carlosmedrano I have to wonder, if you think that’s how it works, that’s how F1 is, why you bother watching? It must really suck observing F1 from your eyes.

  3. While you are there chaps, can you go to Merc and find out how the new Daimler> Merc 1.1 Billion dollar savings program is going to affect their F1 operations. (Source ANE Daily 14/11/19) This at a time when likely Hamilton is asking for more money.
    I normally post this kind of stuff on Joe’s blog but it is not accepting comments any more.
    No Paddock Diaries Dieter?

    1. There’s a number of flyaway races @dieterrencken does not attend.

  4. I personally think that Gasly and Kvyat are doing a good job at this team. Kvyat has made a couple of mistakes recently, but his season on the whole has been a good one. I think gasly was terrible at Red Bull, and I don’t think we should base him on that now and say that Kvyat is worse than him because they look about matched. I think this car suits him and he is actually doing well. As is Kvyat IMO. I think it is correct that the team keep them both and it may be possible that if they both keep performing pretty well, that other teams could have them a chance.

    Red Bull just didn’t suit Kvyat and especially Gasly. Kvyat really did not do well at all when returning to the team, but since he left and rejoined, I think he is a whole lot better. His stupid “torpedo reputation” that came from Vettel when he didn’t even do anything wrong seems to be making him get more harshly judged for two pretty small mistakes recently.

    Even palmer thought the stewards could possibly have been overly harsh on him in China purely based on his number of mistakes in recent performances.

    Both drivers are reasonable and they suit this team much better than Red Bull. I still find it amusing though that Gasly and Albon have both been at Red Bull and Toro Rosso, and Kvyat has been with the slower car the whole time and was the only one out of the three who managed a podium.

    I know Albon was a bit unlucky in that race, but that podium was still deserved for Kvyat. But I do have to question why gasly didn’t manage a single one at Red Bull and will be a bit disappointed if Albon doesn’t either this year.

    1. @thegianthogweed Fairplay you do pick some wierd drivers to support often slower ones but you can not knock the support you show drivers. I started watching F1 in the Button years, but i was hooked when Hamilton came to Mclaren i have always supported my nations drivers first and foremost. I personally do not agree on Kvyat i hardly think he would get a podium in a redbull in the races Alex has done with the team. There has been no freak occurance like Hokenheim, unless you rate Stroll as better than Hulkenberg for having a podium. What is embarassing for Albon if he does not get a podium? When would Kvyat have?

      The facts are Albon(who was not all that in GP2) came to Torro Rosso and was actually beating Kvyat in qually and he was not getting outclassed. If Kvyat was any good he should be 10-20 seconds up the road from Gasly and Albon, Gasly has been the more impressive aswelll since the demotion. I do not get Kvyat sometimes he will chcuk a great drive in but he is wildly inconsistent, i agree the torpedo is harsh wording but he was big time in the wrong in Sochi that year, and then these last 2 races he has had contact.

      1. I’m sure nobody forget, but I’ll just point out for the record, Kyvat does have a couple podiums with RBR. And outscored Danny Ric in 2015.

        He’s a decent driver, and a good benchmark for Pierre and Alex.

        The team does seem to suit Gasly. Could it really have been car setup or morale? Or is it more that his driving style didn’t suit the car?

        My hunch is on the latter, which doesn’t mean that I think Pierre couldn’t go on to great things. I can think of a couple World Champions who’ve had some lackluster runs in good cars that just didn’t seem to match their style.

        All that said, I’m so happy for Alex. I think he’s a good fit for Red Bull, both in performance and personality.

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