Alpine driver Pierre Gasly reflected on his years within the Red Bull system, specifically highlighting his entry into Formula 1, which didn't unfold as the Frenchman had anticipated.
Speaking to the official Formula 1 website, Gasly recounted how he felt a "slap in the face" after being told he wouldn't be a full-time driver in the world championship, despite winning the GP2 title in 2016. Instead, he began the 2017 season as a reserve driver for the Bulls and got his chance to debut at the Malaysian Grand Prix, replacing Daniil Kvyat at Toro Rosso.
"It was tough to accept because I was always told that if I won GP2, I'd be in Formula 1. It felt like a slap in the face. I wondered what more I could do, but I kept believing I'd get my chance. I remember jumping on the bed in Malaysia. I went there as a Red Bull reserve. Helmut (Marko) called me to tell me to get ready because I was going to race. When I found out, I was incredibly happy. I remember going to the starting grid, knowing I had been given a chance and now everything was in my hands. I had the car, the team, and the people; now it was all up to me, I was in control. I did four or five races in 2017 and then started the 2018 season. In the second race, I finished fourth in Bahrain. That immediately raised expectations. Right after Budapest (Hungarian Grand Prix), Daniel (Ricciardo) announced he was leaving Red Bull. I remember arriving in Greece for my vacation and being shocked. At that time, Red Bull had me and Carlos Sainz as options. It was between me and him. The phone rang, and Helmut told me I would be a Red Bull driver from the next year; this was in the middle of my first full season in Formula 1," Gasly recounted.
His tenure at Red Bull was short-lived, as he was replaced by Alex Albon during the 2019 summer break. Subsequently, Gasly drove for Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri until the end of the 2022 season, securing a victory at Monza in 2020, before making the move to Alpine.