Red Bull junior driver Pierre Gasly has hinted that he is in the frame to make his grand prix debut in Malaysia, as the silly season enters overdrive while the Formula 1 circus heads to Asia.
Speaking after scoring his second victory in the Japan Super Formula at Autopolis, Gasly said, “I know there are few things going on at the moment. We will see in the next couple of days what will happen.”
“Getting into Formula 1 is my dream and I am making every effort to fulfill it. I think there could be movement in the next couple of days, there may be some news, and I really hope that I can race in Malaysia,” added Gasly.
The opportunity has arisen in the wake of reports that Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz has agreed a deal to drive for Renault in 2018, with the possibility that he will join the team as early as the forthcoming Malaysian Grand Prix.
This will free up a seat at Toro Rosso which would allow Gasly to make his grand prix debut on 1 October at Sepang, “For me, it will be amazing. It’s been my dream [to race in F1] and I’ve been working really hard to get there. I’m still pushing every day to make it happen.”
While negotiations with Renault have been going on behind-the-scenes Gasly has focused on his Super Formula campaign, winning back-to-back races – at Twin Ring Motegi and most recently at Autopolis – this month with Team Mugen.
He said, “This weekend I wanted to focus on my weekend and do the best I could. I’ve really worked hard with the team to get better and all the hard work starts to pay off so I’m really happy and just starting to love Super Formula more and more.”
“It’s amazing when you have the performance and when you can fight for top positions. There are still things that we can improve but to be in this position is a great feeling,” added Gasly.
Big Question: Does Pierre deserve the Toro Rosso drive?