Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Verstappen advises Italian GP winner Gasly
MAX Verstappen reckons Italian Grand Prix winner Pierre Gasly is better off staying at AlphaTauri than seeking a swift, and potentially punishing, return to Red Bull as his teammate.
“Anyone can come back and try again but they will not succeed,” the Dutch 22-year-old told Reuters in a video interview at the Tuscan Grand Prix.
If that sounds arrogant, or intimidating, it is not intentional.
As one of Formula One’s hottest properties, and considered heir apparent to Mercedes’ six times world champion Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen enjoys top billing at his team. He also tells it like he sees it.
In Gasly’s shoes, Verstappen said, he would stay put.
Gasly, who has grown to become the clear leader at AlphaTauri, struggled at Red Bull last year before being demoted to the sister team.
His shock win at Monza last Sunday has raised speculation about another switch but Verstappen suggested Red Bull had more pressing priorities in the battle with dominant Mercedes.
“At the moment we are not fighting for the championship anyway so
it doesn’t really matter,” he said of the value of having a strong teammate.
The Dutchman, a winner at Silverstone last month, has suffered two retirements but finished the other six races on the podium and has beaten Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas four times.
With Ferrari struggling, Red Bull are the closest challengers but appear to have missed an opportunity.
“I think from the start already it was a lost opportunity,” countered Verstappen, third overall. “The dominance Mercedes had from the start was very difficult to catch up with throughout the season. Now I think it’s all about just trying to settle for third.”
Asked how many more wins he could hope for this year, he replied: “At the moment, on pure pace, none.”