Gasly: “I am at 97%”
Pierre Gasly is experiencing a somewhat difficult adaptation at Red Bull. He is not yet at 100% of his capabilities in his car.

If Daniel Ricciardo’s penalty allowed him to score a point, Pierre Gasly cannot be satisfied with the meager point brought back from his home race while his teammate once again placed 4th: « It is clearly not the weekend I wanted to have in France but now it’s done and I’m focused on Austria. » By refusing to go into details, the French driver emphasized that there are several areas that need improvement.
One of the elements is clearly that the RB15 has lost some of its prowess in terms of efficiency compared to its predecessor: « Even if I cannot be as objective as Max, who spent a year with the car, last year the team had an advantage over everyone in corners. Despite the engine deficit, it managed to compensate. » The change in regulations on the front wing has particularly affected the Milton Keynes team.
Pierre Gasly is well aware that he is part of a team with a history of abruptly dismissing its drivers mid-season if they do not meet expectations: “I’m the first to be unsatisfied. I’m a race driver and I am far from showing the potential that we have. It’s not pleasant.” One of the key focuses is to be more consistent, as he struggles to be fast in every session and on all circuits.
The efforts come from both the driver and the team: the Norman has adjusted his driving style to adapt to a single-seater with behavior different from what he experienced at Toro Rosso, while the engineers strive to align with what the young driver prefers. Thus, he estimates being at 97% of his potential. At this level, it makes a big difference. Even when everything is perfect, it may not be enough as we are competing against the best in the world.
Thus, since the beginning of the season, he has not yet come away from a weekend with the feeling that he did his best. In this delicate period, he tries to be philosophical, believing that he will come out stronger. But in the brutal world of F1, patience is not the most common quality.
From our special correspondent in Spielberg