Marko: Gasly is young. He can wait;
In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Helmut Marko, Red Bull's consultant in charge of the young driver program, explains the decision to keep the same driver duo in 2017 and sideline Pierre Gasly.
The difficulties Pierre Gasly is encountering in winning the GP2 this season partly explain the decision not to appoint him as a main driver for Toro Rosso in 2017. In any case, this is what Dr. Helmut Marko, head of the Red Bull junior driver program, claims. This is the main reason justifying the renewal of Daniil Kvyat for 2017, still alongside Carlos Sainz as a teammate.
When asked if this conservative choice is constrained by the lack of talented young drivers on the market, the Austrian responds affirmatively: « I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or a trend. But the fact is, apart from Max Verstappen, there’s not much. And the more you look towards the lower categories, the sadder it becomes » he replies.
This new opportunity given to Daniil Kvyat still gives him the chance to knock on the door of the main team, just like Carlos Sainz, who is now well settled in the Toro Rosso team as he will start his third season in the small Italian team in 2017. Marko declares on this subject that the pair should not give up on their chances: “Motorsport is dangerous,” says Marko. “I don’t hope for it, but something can always happen from the point of view of illness or something like what happened with Alonso during testing. So, if that happens, we want to have good reserve drivers, and we have them at Toro Rosso.”
Helmut Marko adds that the Renault engine in the Toro Rosso can give them hope of performing well and showcasing a good single-seater: « The other reason is that Toro Rosso will also have the Renault engine next year. So it will be a good car. Therefore, we want to have the two best drivers. »
Regarding Pierre Gasly, who has seen the doors of Toro Rosso and F1 closed to him, Dietrich Mateschitz’s associate comments: “Gasly is young. He can still wait.” He continues by saying: “It is not a mistake if he doesn’t come yet. Moreover, he could have had the GP2 title three times if he had made fewer mistakes,” he added.
The question that remains unanswered is the future of the Frenchman in 2017, who will not be able to compete in another GP2 season if he wins the title, as the regulations prohibit it. If the title slips away, it seems unlikely that Red Bull would have him compete in another campaign in the feeder series to Formula 1. A potential program in the Japanese Super Formula is mentioned, similar to Stoffel Vandoorne this year, but this possibility is still far from materializing.
