Barretto: 'His time at Red Bull Racing is done'

With the confirmation that Pierre Gasly will be driving for AlphaTauri in 2021, two of the seats among the Red Bull teams have been filled. That leaves two more seats and the big question is what will happen to Alexander Albon. The same is true to a lesser extent for Daniil Kvyat, although this is expected to be his last season in Formula 1.

No promotion for Gasly

Pierre Gasly has done good things this year, especially at Monza where he took his first ever victory. In addition, he has performed well in several races and brought home points, so a promotion to Red Bull Racing sounds logical on paper. However, he will stay at AlphaTauri and that's because the expectations are lower there.

Also, the team is no longer a junior team, but more of a sister team as they are shifting with drivers instead of constantly adding new (young) drivers to the team. Lawrence Barretto writes on Formula1.com that the junior pool has dried up quite a bit. But there may be another reason.

Barretto: "So having a driver of Gasly’s quality in one of the seats not only helps the team contend for a better place in the midfield but also means he can act as a mentor for a younger driver in the other seat", and that makes sense. Especially when one decides to place a newcomer at AlphaTauri. Returning to Red Bull isn't an option anyway because "there is a feeling from Red Bull’s senior management that his time at the senior team is done."

At the bottom of the list

There are three drivers who claim the seat next to Gasly according to Barretto. These are Alexander Albon, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniil Kvyat, with the Russian being the lowest on the list because he has not been consistent enough this year. Albon, however, still gets time to prove himself that he belongs at the senior team, but of course time is running out.

If Albon doesn't succeed, Red Bull is faced with a difficult choice. "Do they place him at AlphaTauri and give him a chance to redeem himself? Or let him go from the programme for the second time?" That choice is complicated by the fact that Tsunoda would be the favorite for the seat next to Gasly, but he would be an F1 rookie.