Pierre Gasly, whose with
Alpine expires at the end of the upcoming season, suggested
Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari changes the dynamics of the driver market slightly.
More than half of the drivers on the grid have their contracts expiring at the end of the season 2024. Some of them might not continue in F1, and quite a few are expected to change teams.
Probably many of these drivers have already been in talks with different teams, but Lewis Hamilton's shocking move from
Mercedes to Ferrari might have consequences on the market. Pierre Gasly told the media after the
launch of Alpine's 2024 challenger:
"It was unexpected for most people. Obviously it changes slightly the dynamics of the driver market and the whole silly season."
The Frenchman said Hamilton's move was unexpected for "most people"
because he actually knew about it before the announcement was made.
At the moment, Gasly is still committed to Alpine, and it will be the French team that gets to talk to him first in relation to the contract for upcoming seasons.
"Obviously I started with Alpine last year. I know the project I’m working on. I have the end of my contract at the end of the year and obviously there are conversations ongoing."
The 28-year-old explained his goal (as for every driver on the grid) is to fight for the podiums and race wins. The question is, can Alpine deliver him the competitive car? Gasly believes it's possible.
"I think the situation is pretty clear, but at the moment I just want to see what this car is capable of. Ultimately my goal is to fight at the front. I believe it’s possible with Alpine."
On the other hand, the Frenchman also didn't write off the possibility of joining any other team that would potentially offer him higher chances of success. He added:
"I’m 28, good experience, I’m in my prime, and that’s what I’m working for. I want to fight for wins, for podiums and be up there."