Ex-F1 Driver Urges Gasly To Leave Red Bull After Perez Handed New Deal

 Sergio Perez has signed a contract extension with Red Bull for 2022 despite being comprehensively outpaced by Max Verstappen so far this campaign.

Pierre Gasly should try to find another seat on the grid now that Red Bull have decided to retain Sergio Perez for the 2022 season, ex-F1 racer Marc Surer has told Formula1News.co.uk.

The Frenchman has been in exceptional form ever since he returned to Red Bull’s junior outfit in mid-2019, however, he has once again been overlooked by the Milton Keynes-based team.

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Earlier this month, Gasly said he wants to be in the most competitive car possible, but he acknowledged that his future was ultimately in Red Bull’s hands.

“A driver always wants to be behind the wheel of the best possible car. I think at AlphaTauri they want a leader to try and really grow the team and I think there is a good relationship between me and them,” Gasly said. 

“At the end of the day I just want to do well, weekend after weekend, race after race, and show my potential.

“My future is in the hands of Red Bull. If they want me, or if they are satisfied with the current driver team.

“Or maybe it depends on how Sergio is doing and how they see the future with AlphaTauri.

“We are discussing a lot of things. Everything is going well, but at the moment there is no answer. I expect to get more answers in the coming weeks.”

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Reacting to Red Bull’s decision to overlook Gasly and retain Perez for 2022, Surer told this publication that Dr Helmut Marko, head of the team’s driver programme, “must have a good reason” for not giving the Frenchman another chance.

“Marko must have a good reason [for extending Perez’s contract], but it is not the speed of Perez,” the ex-F1 racer told Formula1News.co.uk.

“Just look at the result of yesterdain both sessions Gasly was in front of him.”

Continuing, Surer said he believes Gasly should evaluate his options and look for a move away from Red Bull and its sister team.

“If Gasly gets an offer, he should take it,” he added.