Paul di Resta has a clear warning for Pierre Gasly

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Former F1 driver Paul di Resta has a few words of caution for Pierre Gasly before the Frenchman takes up his seat at Red Bull Racing next season.

Gasly will step up to the senior bull outfit for 2019 after a maiden year in Formula 1 in which he delivered on Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko's expectations.

But di Resta cautions Gasly, insisting he'll need to keep his momentum going or risk the painful fate suffered by Daniil Kvyat who was promoted to the Milton Keynes team only to be downgraded back to Toro Rosso after 21 races.

"If Marko chooses someone, he will take it seriously," Di Resta told Motorsport.

"But in front of every rider who gets promoted, there is also a driver he drops, he is pretty ruthless.

"Some were fired (too early), when I was not sure they deserved something like that. You only have a chance, if he feels that you really deserve it."

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As a long-time member of the Red Bull family, Gasly is no stranger to Marko's principles or character.

In 2016, the over-confident young charger, who was racing in GP2 at the time, suggested at Monza that he would be replacing the under-performing Kvyat in Singapore, a claim that didn't go down well with Marko who reacted furiously.

Di Resta's fellow Sky F1 pundit, Martin Brundle, agreed with the Scot, adding that in the past some of Red Bull's young drivers were not given enough time to prove their mettle

"With Vettel, Ricciardo and Verstappen, you cannot say that he really did anything wrong," Brundle said.

"People like Buemi and Vergne have not been given enough time in F1."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.