AlphaTauri confirms Gasly for 2023… again

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Scuderia AlpahTauri has officially confirmed that Pierre Gasly will remain with the sister Red Bull outfit for the 2023 F1 season.

Amid questions over Gasly's future following the extension of Sergio Perez's contract with Red Bull, AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost had clarified in Montreal that the Frenchman would remain with the Faenza-based squad until the end of next season.

But the official confirmation from AlphaTauri hit the wires on Friday morning.

"We are really pleased to confirm that Pierre stays with us in 2023," Tost said in a statement from the team.

"He is definitely in the group of the best and most competitive drivers in F1 and has proven his abilities during all the time he has spent with us.

"Undoubtedly, Pierre can play a major role in the team having a successful season next year and it will be down to us to provide him with a competitive car, so that he can continue to deliver excellent results."

Read also: Gasly puzzled by lack of pace in Canadian GP

After a solid 2021 campaign, Gasly had upgraded his ambitions and expressed his hope that an opportunity with a top team - including Red Bull - would perhaps materialize at some point in the not-too-distant future.

But the prolongation of Perez's contract with Red Bull until the end of 2024 takes one top seat off the market.

Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko recently said that there was currently "no better alternative" for Gasly than AlphaTauri.

"I have been with this team for five years now and I am proud of the journey we’ve been through together and the progress we have made," said the 26-year-old.

"I’m happy to remain with my Scuderia AlphaTauri team. This year’s new regulations have created new challenges for us and being able to plan our development with the team for the next 18 months is a good working basis for the future."

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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.