Pierre Gasly: ​​Beating Verstappen is not the goal for now

Max Verstappen despite being a year younger than his new neighbor in the garage Pierre Gasly, the Batavian already has 81 starts in F1 for 5 victories and 22 podiums against 26 participations in Grands Prix and a 4th place in Bahrain last year as the best result for the Norman. 

Member of the stable Milton Keynes since the middle of the 2016 season and renewed for the long term at the end of 2017, the Dutchman has become the de facto leader with the departure of Daniel Ricciardo in Renault. A situation that Gasly readily accepts at the dawn of his first campaign under Red Bull colors. 

« I only have a full season in my legs so I still have a lot to learn, confided the Rouennais from Melbourne when discussing his objectives for 2019. 

I hope to be a different driver come Abu Dhabi evening. I have to rely on the experience of Max and the team. They were world champions with Seb (Hag, Editor’s note) and have been used to fighting at the forefront for years. 

I want to continue to develop to show my speed and express my full potential ». 

Asked whether Verstappen was a target to hit from the outset, Gasly added: “ For the moment, this is clearly not the goal. We don't have the same experience in F1, nor within the team. 

The most important thing is to use your knowledge and talent to get the most out of it, learn, and improve as quickly as possible.. We've known each other since we were 12 and we get along well, that makes things easier within the team ».

Red Bull made several aerodynamic updates to its RB15 in Australia, while Gasly was full of praise for the new Honda engine, praising « the leap forward » carried out in terms of performance and reliability during the winter.