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Marko willing to let Gasly go to rival after contract expires
- GPblog.com
Sergio Perez has a contract with Red Bull Racing to the end of 2024, meaning Pierre Gasly will not be in a Red Bull car until 2025 at the earliest. The chances of Gasly returning to the Austrian team are not very high, Helmut Marko assures us in conversation with Motorsport-Total.com .
Red Bull had an option for 2023 in Gasly's AlphaTauri contract and, as we know, Marko exercised it. The Frenchman will therefore race for AlphaTauri again next season, but in 2024 he will be free to do as he pleases. Red Bull will not be lying about a switch to another team in Formula 1 either, Marko confirmed. The Red Bull advisor emphasises that the mutual relationship is very good.
Marko sees in Gasly a driver who would fit in perfectly at AlphaTauri and would also be more than welcome there in 2024, but the 26-year-old driver would not be good enough for the absolute top. "He is definitely more settled, has much more confidence [compared to his Red Bull year in 2019]. But to what extent he can compete with a Verstappen is difficult to say," said Marko, who also cited that Yuki Tsunoda is (already) as fast as Gasly over one lap. The one-time Grand Prix winner is therefore not one hundred percent convincing.
Gasly benefits financially
As a token of appreciation, Red Bull has also taken care of the financial part of Gasly's contract. Gasly has been earning more at AlphaTauri this season, without Red Bull actually being obliged to do so. The energy drink giants could just lift the option and not change anything in the financial terms, but they decided otherwise. A nice gesture.