Pierre Gasly is the latest pivot in the silly season for next year's F1 grid. The Frenchman would possibly take Fernando Alonso's place at Alpine. Gasly refutes the rumours and says there are no talks with the French F1 team.
Gasly and Russell talked about something else entirely
On a Ferrari video, an observant viewer noticed Gasly talking to his F1 rivals about the details of a contract. It only fuelled the rumours of the AlphaTauri driver's switch; in the paddock at Zandvoort, the link between Gasly and Alpine was the story of the day. To ESPN However, the Frenchman says that the conversation heard on the video was about something very different from a contract with Alpine.
Gasly: "If you knew what we were talking about, you would probably laugh. I can guarantee you it was not about Formula 1. George [Russell] was talking about marriage, or weddings, so you can understand it wasn't about F1." So while Gasly's statements in the video were not about his F1 future, a move by the Frenchman to Alpine cannot yet be ruled out.
Will Gasly make a bid for Alpine seat?
Alonso's departure from Alpine has left a coveted seat vacant. The only available driver who is not interested in the Alpine seat is Oscar Piastri, but Daniel Ricciardo would be happy to return now that he has been sacked by McLaren. For Gasly, the Alpine seat is also an interesting step in his career. The Frenchman seems to be 'stuck' at AlphaTauri, as there is no room at Red Bull Racing.
With Gasly, Alpine would have two French drivers with Esteban Ocon. Ocon told GPBlog.com and others during Thursday's press conference at Zandvoort that he would not choose Gasly, but another driver as his teammate: "You know that if I had a say in it I would have chosen Mick [Schumacher]. He is a good friend of mine." If the team were to listen to Ocon's recommendation, he could thereby be doing Schumacher a big favour. Indeed, Schumacher's place at Haas F1 and his place in the Ferrari Academy are under pressure.