Gasly hints at 'other options' if relationship with Red Bull sours

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Pierre Gasly aims to become a consistent winner in F1, preferably with Red Bull, but if the feeling isn't mutual the Frenchman says there will be "other options" to consider.

Gasly's relationship with the energy drink company, or rather with its omnipotent motorsport boss Helmut Marko, has been complicated in the past and marked by the Frenchman's painful round trip in 2019 from Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing and back.

More recently, Marko indirectly took a dig at the AlphaTauri charger after the latter's impressive P5 performance in qualifying in Bahrain, suggesting that Max Verstappen would have likely been a quarter of a second faster in the same car.

Gasly was predictably unimpressed with the remark, insisting he didn't give a hoot about "that kind of hypothetical thinking".

But the 25-year-old is performing well this season with AlphaTauri as he holds up his end of the bargain with the Faenza-based squad.

"Personally, I’m in Formula 1 to fight at the top," he told reporters ahead of this weekend's Portuguese GP. "I’m working every day to be the best driver I can be to one day fight for championships, fight more consistently for podiums and for wins.

"That’s the ultimate target. I hope it happens with Red Bull. I’m in Formula 1 thanks to Red Bull, so I’m really grateful for that. At the moment I’m still contracted with them, so that’s the goal."

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While he would be happy to remain in the Red Bull family, Gasly is also rumored to be a driver of interest to Alpine for 2022, possibly as a replacement for Esteban Ocon if the latter underperforms this season.

"I think if there is a will to work together, obviously I’ll be really happy with that, and if there is no will to work together, there will be other options," he said.

"But I think for now, the most important is to be competitive, to put strong performances like I’ve been doing and showing good results, and then we’ll see later for the opportunities."

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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.