Gasly Stays with Alpha Tauri

So Alpha Tauri just announced that Gasly is back for 2021.
Well that's good news. I'm glad he isn't going back to RBR.
Also this looks like Kyatt is out at AT since he wasn't announced alongside.
My hope is that Albon will be back at Alpha Tauri and they can fill that 2nd RBR seat with Tsunoda or Perez.
There does seem to be a decent chance that Albon might stay on the team, which I don't want because he will get releases early 2021 for some weird reason.
Now there is also talk that Tsunoda will fill the 2nd AT seat in order to smooth over the take over of the Honda engine department.
I find this particularly absurd as Honda simply have no leverage in this matter, apart from agreeing to sell or not. Having a Japanese driver in the team would mean nothing to them at this point and also seems a bit patronizing to assume that Honda operates under such premises. If anything, they would want him at RBR to possibly win a race with a Honda powered car that might be capable of winning here and there.
This is, in a weird way, also good news for Russell, as it would seem more likely that Perez will be seeking that 2nd RBR seat. Which would make sense for everyone.
If not, RBR, I still see him going to Haas rather than williams.
I'm also surprised that Alfa Romero confirmed both their current drivers for 2021.
IMO it would have made more sense to get Perez in there and assuming that Kimi retires at the end of 2021, Perez would then become a solidly entrenched team leader in a team he is familiar with and a long-term prospect at that with a good chance of an improved car. Giovinazzi has really done nothing in 2 years to merit that seat.

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Originally Posted by truefan72

My hope is that Albon will be back at Alpha Tauri and they can fill that 2nd RBR seat with Tsunoda or Perez.

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I don't see a rookie ending up in an RBR car. That's what AT/STR is for - even Vettel and Verstappen had to go down that route.
Personally, I think Hülkenberg is a more likely proposition than Pérez, although it would be unusual for Red Bull to recruit from outside their own stable; something they haven't done since Webber, I think.
Russell would be an interesting choice, though with him being a Mercedes junior driver and no love lost between Marko and Wolff, I rather see him taking a sabbatical from F1 next year (like Ocon did in 2019) if he does lose his Williams drive.

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I find this particularly absurd as Honda simply have no leverage in this matter, apart from agreeing to sell or not. Having a Japanese driver in the team would mean nothing to them at this point and also seems a bit patronizing to assume that Honda operates under such premises.

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Well, they used to - didn't Williams lose their Honda engines in 1987 because Sir Frank refused to give a drive to Saturu Nakajima? Also, they essentially created a team (Super Aguri) to allow their protegee Sato to continue in F1 in 2006. So yes, it does seem important to Honda to have a Japanese driver in one of their cars.

One little issue I haven't seen anyone speaking about is the fact that Albon has Thai lineage , and Red Bull originated there .
There's a track there now , too .
They might have a little more patience with him as a result .

Is anyone really surprised? This season, Gasly consistently beat his teammate in qualifying and in points, and he even won a race. It would have been a crime to offer Gasly no some kind of seat in F1 for 2021.

From my observations in the past two years, Kvyat is always equal or losing in qualifying to his teammates, but then, he is usually good in racing through the field. However, who cares about that? Lose seven places in qualifying in order to gain five in the race? Great.

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Originally Posted by truefan72

Personally, I think Hülkenberg is a more likely proposition than Pérez.

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Zero podiums against eight podiums, all driving for midfield teams. Mookay.

I think Gasly dodged the bullet not going back into RBR. What is the point going into a seat if the team is not committed to that car. Perez seem like the kind of driver to make that second seat work. He has the clout to command an equal share of focus from the team. And the experience to give Verstapenn the sort of competition he has not been properly exposed to. If l have to choose between Hulkenburg and Perez, l would choose Perez any day.

I said in 2018, that this was a swim or sink move for Albon. Unfortunately, he has partnered with a driver in the mold of Alonso, who would look out solely for themselves. Hence, the car would suit him at the expense of a rookie [well newbie] with very little clout in the team. And that shows.

Unfortunately, Gasly may have ticked a few people off at RBR. If he wants to win a world championship, he must try to head to Mercedes. And, l don't buy the idea that the Alpha Tauri is an easier car to drive, which is why he is performing so well. Kyvat could be doing the same but is not. Anybody would tell you that Kyvat is not crap. Gasly is performing well because the team embrace him and gives him the environment to be heard and be confident. That is why he is performing better than the 2nd RBR car.

Confidence is the currency of a driver's good performance. And RBR appear not to be giving Albon any of it.

He is right where he needs to be as he will never get a fair shake at Red Bull.

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Originally Posted by Nitrodaze

Confidence is the currency of a driver's good performance. And RBR appear not be giving Albon any of it.

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Although I agree with you about confidence, and as much as I like Albon and would like to hammer Red Bull, I'm not sure what else they could do for Alex. RBR is a pressure cooker, but I think Red Bull has been more patient with him than any of their recent #2 drivers. Sadly, it looks like the second Alpha Tauri seat is now taken and Gasly has the first, so it's looking like Albon could get shuffled out of F1. He tried and I still like him. But it just didn't come together for him.

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Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior

Although I agree with you about confidence, and as much as I like Albon and would like to hammer Red Bull, I'm not sure what else they could do for Alex. RBR is a pressure cooker, but I think Red Bull has been more patient with him than any of their recent #2 drivers. Sadly, it looks like the second Alpha Tauri seat is now taken and Gasly has the first, so it's looking like Albon could get shuffled out of F1. He tried and I still like him. But it just didn't come together for him.

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Yes, this is the ugly side of F1 as many drivers in recent past has found it. We all knew RBR would burn him out with such early promotion. They have to try to make it work for him or look outside their driver programme to fill that seat. I think it would destroy Gasly's career if he goes back into that seat. I agree, Albon by all account is toast.