Pierre Gasly has spoken out in support of his former teammate and current Red Bull Racing driver Yuki Tsunoda, expressing concern over the Japanese driver’s ongoing struggles in the 2025 Formula 1 season. Since taking over from Liam Lawson just two races into the championship, Yuki Tsunoda has found it difficult to match the pace and consistency expected at the top level, scoring points in only three of the ten Grands Prix he has contested so far.
Tsunoda’s most recent disappointment came at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where he finished in 15th place—last among the classified finishers and the only driver to be lapped during the race. After the race, Tsunoda acknowledged his performance shortcomings, pointing to balance issues with the RB21 chassis while also accepting part of the responsibility for the underwhelming result.
However, a larger theme persists in the Red Bull camp: the ongoing difficulty for any driver occupying the second seat alongside reigning World Champion Max Verstappen. From Pierre Gasly to Alexander Albon, from Sergio Perez to Daniel Ricciardo, none have managed to consistently withstand the pressure or match the exceptional pace of the Dutch superstar.
Pierre Gasly, who experienced the challenge firsthand when he partnered Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2019, showed empathy toward Tsunoda’s situation.
“Yes, I spoke with him beforehand. I think when it comes to the second Red Bull seat, we all get thrown into the same box,” said Gasly. “But in my case, the situation was very different from Alex Albon’s or Sergio Perez’s. I won’t go into too much detail on that. Clearly, something isn’t working for Yuki. I just hope for him, as a friend, that things turn around somehow.”
Gasly Comments on Verstappen’s Possible Future Move
Pierre Gasly also weighed in on the increasing rumors that Max Verstappen could be evaluating a future move to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team. For the French driver, such a possibility is not surprising at all.
“Max Verstappen is undoubtedly the best driver on the grid. Every driver wants to be in the best car available—and right now, Red Bull doesn’t have that. It’s only natural that he’s considering his options.”
Despite his past with Red Bull, Pierre Gasly made it clear that he is not interested in returning to the Austrian outfit, reaffirming his loyalty to his current team:
“I race for Alpine, and I want to win with Alpine.”
Gasly’s comments offer a candid insight into the immense pressure faced by any driver paired with Max Verstappen and the ongoing challenges of operating within the Red Bull system. At the same time, the French driver underlined his commitment to the Alpine F1 project, even as the Formula 1 paddock continues to speculate on the future of the reigning World Champion and how it may reshape the grid in the coming seasons.
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