Pierre Gasly shares his opinion on the driving style of former teammate Max Verstappen. The Dutchman’s approach to racing has been in the spotlight in recent weeks, particularly following the controversial Grand Prix in Mexico. According to Gasly, Verstappen has been very adept at smartly utilizing the regulations since his karting days.
Pierre Gasly was Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull for half of the 2019 season. However, the Frenchman was replaced by Alexander Albon during the Belgian Grand Prix due to disappointing results. Gasly also raced against Verstappen during their karting days, which has given him a good understanding of the Dutchman’s driving style.
“I think we can all say, anyone who has raced with him in karting, that it was the same then,” Gasly reflects, speaking to Motorsport Week. “At many starts, I ended up in the grass because Max started behind me. It was just the way he raced at the time.”
Despite Gasly having to prematurely end a kart race due to Verstappen, the Frenchman praises the Dutchman for his ‘smart tactics’. “He also cleverly uses the regulations and pushes them to the limit, and when you’re fighting for a world championship, you expect that from someone like him,” says the Alpine driver.
Unique
Gasly describes the driving style of the three-time champion as unique compared to the other drivers on the current grid. “When you go wheel to wheel against him, the outcome is often slightly different than with other guys,” the Frenchman explains. “Whether it’s fair or not, that’s another conversation, but it’s guaranteed to be hard racing and it’s unlikely that the outcome will result in an overtaking maneuver.
