Pierre Gasly has reminisced on his GP2 title, claiming that not securing a Formula 1 seat the following season felt like a “slap in the face.”
Following his championship-winning GP2 season with PREMA Powerteam, Gasly believed a promotion to the top leagues would be on the cards.
After all, a series win in F1’s closest feeder series should result in a full-time seat, right? Well, not in the case of Pierre Gasly. Instead, Gasly was a reserve driver for the 2017 season.
Gasly emphasised that this career move left him in shock, as it contradicted everything he had heard previously.
“It was so hard to take. I was told, ‘If you win the GP2 championship, you are going to get a shot in Formula 1,'” Gasly told F1.com.
“It was like a slap in my face. I thought, ‘OK, what do I need to do more?’ I kept the mentality that I would get my shot.”
Gasly’s tumultuous journey with Red Bull
The now Alpine driver continued to serve Torro Russo as a reserve driver, whilst also competing in Super Formula. However, his luck shifted during the Malaysian Grand Prix. Ahead of the race weekend, Gasly was told that he would replace Daniil Kvyat.
“I remember I was jumping on my bed in Malaysia,” Gasly recalled.
“I went as a reserve for Red Bull. Helmut called me to say, ‘Get ready – this weekend, you are racing.'”
The 29-year-old revealed his excitement about the chance, emphasising the opportunity to make a lasting mark on the series. Gasly then partook in the final five rounds of the 2017 season, for his best finish of 12th place in his time at the top level.
“When I got the shot, I was the happiest.
“I remember going on the grid and knowing I’m given this chance, now it’s in my hands, I have the car, the team, the people – now it’s up to me and I’m in control.”
Gasly was then promoted to Red Bull’s sister team for the 2018 season. He started his campaign off strong, creating shockwaves through the paddock as many saw him as Red Bull’s next big thing.
“I did four or five races in 2017, and then I started the season in 2018. In the second race, bang, P4 in Bahrain. It created straight away massive hype.”
This hype worked in Gasly’s favour as Daniel Ricciardo announced a shock move away from Red Bull. Placing him in the box seat to replace the Australian for the 2019 season.
“Right after Budapest, Daniel [Ricciardo] announced he was leaving [Red Bull]. I remember arriving in Greece for my holiday, and it was like, ‘Whoa, Daniel is going’,” Gasly remembered.
“Red Bull had Carlos Sainz as an option and they had me. It’s between Sainz and myself.
The phone rang and Helmut told me ‘OK, you’re a Red Bull Racing driver at the start of next year’ – this was six months into my first [full] season in F1.”
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