Scuderia AlphaTauri has predictably opted for consistency and stability for 2022, the Italian outfit confirming both Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda for next season's campaign.
So far, Gasly and Tsunoda have contributed respectively 66 and 18 points to AlphaTauri's tally in the Constructors' championship, with the Frenchman's podium finish in Baku a highlight of the team's season.
As the unquestionable leader of the Faenza-based squad, Gasly has steered his team towards the top tier of F1's midfield, while Tsunoda - whose best result so far this season is his P6 finish in Hungary - continues his apprenticeship in the wake of the 2020 Italian Grand Prix winner.
"I’m pleased to announce today that we will keep both our drivers here at Scuderia AlphaTauri for the 2022 season," said AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost.
"Pierre’s development in the years has been impressive and in his time with us he managed to make it to all three steps of the podium.
"Starting with the second place in Brazil in 2019, he then won our home Grand Prix the following year in Monza and this year he has already achieved a podium with a 3rd place in Baku.
"I am confident there’s more to come and this is why we are excited to have him with us for another season.
"Furthermore, he is using his experience in F1 to help Yuki with his development."
Although Tsunoda, has struggled in his maiden season to put together a clean and error-free weekend, Tost insists the 21-year-old is still in the early stages of his development as an F1 driver.
"This year we have seen that the positive relationship between the two, made of a competitiveness on-track and a friendship off-track, has proven effective for the team," added the Austrian.
"Yuki has joined the team as a rookie and is continuing to learn every day, the feedback from the engineers shows that he is absorbing all the information given to him and improving.
"As a rookie, Yuki is only at the beginning of this journey, so it’s good that he can continue what we’ve started together.
"It’s great for us to be securing our driver line-up so early in the season, so we can now focus on the rest of 2021, where we’re in a tough fight in the midfield pack."
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Gasly's future with AlphaTauri was set in stone after Red Bull Racing's decision last month to retain Sergio Perez for a second season. But the Frenchman believe he can achieve "great things" with his team in the future.
"I am very happy to be moving forward with AlphaTauri for another season in Formula 1, especially after seeing the progress that we’ve made as a team since I first joined in 2017," Gasly said.
"Seeing the performance we’ve shown so far this season, I think there are great things to achieve for the rest of this season and for next year, especially with the upcoming changes to the championship in 2022.
"I’m very excited to see what we can accomplish in the new era of F1."
Tsunoda added: "It’s an incredible opportunity and I’m so thankful to the team for letting me continue to grow my experience in Formula 1 with them.
"I have a very good relationship with Pierre, I have learnt a lot from him already this year and his experience has helped me to keep developing my own skills, so it’s great to be continuing my F1 journey with him."
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