Alexander Albon is under pressure at Red Bull Racing. The Thai driver has had a new race engineer since this weekend, something Pierre Gasly also asked for last season when he was struggling to get in shape at Red Bull.
Step back for Gasly
Gasly had a difficult time at Red Bull last season and was returned to Toro Rosso after the first 12 races, which is now going through life under the name AlphaTauri. Albon took his place at Red Bull and is struggling to keep up with his teammate Max Verstappen.
Albon had a bad qualifying session on Saturday and even started behind the relegated Gasly. The Frenchman admitted he had asked Red Bull last season if he could get a more experienced race engineer.
Gasly didn't get a hearing
"I did ask for it. Honestly, if they've done it, it means it was necessary. Last year obviously I came into Red Bull after a year. On my side my experience in F1 was pretty low," Gasly says to Autosport.com and others.
"I knew I was fast, but I would have liked someone by my side who was a bit more experienced than someone that was new as well to F1. It was obviously a bit more difficult. But that's passed, I want to move on, I want to look forward," concludes the Frenchman.