The world of Formula One has been shaken by the sudden departure of driver Pierre Gasly from Red Bull Racing. Gasly, who had been part of the Red Bull family for several years, revealed the emotional impact of his sudden exit and pointed the finger at Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, as well as advisor Helmut Marko.
In a recent interview, Gasly opened up about the shock and disappointment of being dropped from Red Bull Racing and demoted to the sister team, Toro Rosso. The French driver, who had only been with Red Bull for a season, described the decision as a “kick to the teeth” and expressed his frustration at not being given a proper chance to prove himself.
Gasly was promoted to Red Bull Racing at the beginning of the 2019 season, replacing Daniel Ricciardo as Max Verstappen’s teammate. However, he struggled to adapt to the car and was consistently outperformed by Verstappen. This led to speculation about his future with the team, and just a day after finishing sixth at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Gasly received the news of his demotion.
The decision was met with mixed reactions from fans and the media, with some questioning the fairness and timing of Gasly’s demotion. Gasly himself was clearly emotional as he spoke about the impact the decision had on him. “It was really tough for me to accept it, it’s never easy to be told you’re not good enough,” he said.
But what really surprised everyone was Gasly’s decision to publicly name Horner and Marko as the ones responsible for his sacking. The 23-year-old driver didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Red Bull hierarchy, accusing them of not giving him enough support and constantly changing their expectations.
“It’s clear that Christian wanted me to be quicker, but he never really told me what he wanted from me,” Gasly said. “I was always given mixed messages, and it’s difficult for a driver to perform when he doesn’t have a clear understanding of what’s expected of him.”
Gasly also took aim at Marko, who is known for his ruthless approach to driver development. He revealed that the Austrian had been putting pressure on him since the beginning of the season, and that his constant comments in the media had affected his confidence.
“I felt like I was constantly under a microscope, and every mistake I made was blown out of proportion,” Gasly explained. “It’s not easy to perform at your best when you have someone constantly criticizing you.”
Gasly’s outburst has sparked a debate about the management style of Red Bull and whether they have been fair to their drivers in the past. Many have pointed to the treatment of Daniil Kvyat, who was also demoted from Red Bull to Toro Rosso in 2016, as proof that the team is quick to give up on their drivers.
However, others have defended Red Bull’s decision, arguing that Gasly’s lack of results and his struggle to keep up with Verstappen justified his demotion. They also pointed out that Red Bull had given Gasly a chance to prove himself and he had failed to deliver.
As for Gasly, he remains determined to prove his worth and make a comeback to Red Bull Racing in the future. “I know I have what it takes to succeed in Formula One, and I won’t let this setback define me,” he said. “I’ll keep working hard and showing what I’m capable of.”
In the end, Gasly’s sudden exit from Red Bull Racing was a shock to everyone, including himself. But one thing is for sure, the emotional impact of this decision will not be forgotten anytime soon. Whether it was fair or not, only time will tell. But for now, Gasly is focused on making the most of his new opportunity with Toro Rosso and proving his doubters wrong.
