Pierre Gasly fires warning to Max Verstappen over 2019 season role

Pierre Gasly managed to make the jump from Toro Rosso to Red Bull for the 2019 season, thanks to Daniel Ricciardo making the brave decision to move on from Red Bull and join Renault in midfield.

Gasly was very impressive last season, towering over his teammate Brendon Hartley and forcing Red Bull to pick him over Carlos Sainz.

A big reason for Ricciardo moving on from Red Bull was Horner and Marko’s tendency to lean a bit too much towards Verstappen. Gasly would be aware of the team dynamics, and will try and find his feet in a new team environment next season.

However, Gasly has confirmed that he is not going to Red Bull to be Verstappen’s number 2.

“Being one of the best drivers right now will be a great challenge for me,” Gasly said, as quoted by Motorsport-total.

“It will take some time for me to be competitive, but I am not here to be the number two driver, that’s not what I want or what I’m happy with.

“These things take some time, and Max is one of the fastest guys in the paddock, which is super exciting for me, because it brings you to a higher level.

“For sure, I’ll be better over the course of the season.” he added.

Red Bull have moved on from Renault and will be hoping that everything Honda has promised translates into some on track success. However, Gasly is ready to see what the engine and the car can offer next season.

“If I have a car I can win with, I would like to, but if I have a car that is only good enough for the top five, that will be the goal.” he concluded.

Gasly and Verstappen have a history and it will be interesting to see if the duo are involved in a heated rivalry next season?