F1: Red Bull not ruling out Gasly-Alpine move (Update)

Red Bull advisor Marko has now confirmed talks are taking place with Alpine and that the team would not stand in Gasly’s way – although terms are yet to have been agreed.

“We have a valid contract for 2023, but in the meantime there are talks,” Marko said on Sky Germany after Friday’s practice running at Zandvoort.

“If our conditions are met, we wouldn’t stand in Gasly’s way. It would be a dream come true for him to drive in a French factory team.

“But not all the conditions have been met yet.”

(GMM) Red Bull is not ruling out releasing Pierre Gasly from his contract at Alpha Tauri.

In the past days, the Frenchman – although already confirmed at Red Bull’s second team for 2023 – has been strongly linked with the vacant seat at Renault-owned Alpine to create an all-French lineup with Esteban Ocon.

Some have said Red Bull’s rock-solid deal with Gasly makes his move to Alpine impossible, but Christian Horner is not ruling it out.

“The market is quite fluid at the moment,” said the Red Bull team boss.

He said the new uncertainty is connected to Alpine’s contractual tug-of-war with McLaren over Oscar Piastri, which was heard by the FIA’s contract recognition board on Monday.

“We will see what the result of the CRB will be and then go from there,” said Horner.

“For us, obviously Pierre is still a driver under contract with Red Bull until the end of next season. We also have a contract with Checo (Sergio Perez) for the next two years and Max (Verstappen) has a long-term contract.

“We have to consider all the possibilities, but first and foremost we will have to see what the CRB is going to say. Everything else is pure speculation,” he insisted.

As for 26-year-old Gasly, he is keeping quiet for now – and played down the prospect of any official announcements in the forthcoming days ahead of the Dutch GP.

When asked if there would be any news this week, Gasly said: “Not from my side.”