Pierre Gasly described scoring his first podium finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix as “the best day of my life.”
The Toro Rosso driver, who lost his seat at Red Bull earlier this year, held off Lewis Hamilton to finish second after a dramatic end to the race at Interlagos.“As a kid you dream about being in Formula 1 and then when it happens it becomes the best day of your life,” he said. “And after you dream about your first podium.
“To be fair I didn’t think this would happen coming back with Toro Rosso in the second part of the season. But I just kept working on myself, try to push the team as much as I could, telling them we need to make the best out of all the opportunities that we have until the end of the year.”
The Toro Rosso driver consistently ran at the front of the midfield before Valtteri Bottas’s retirement and the collision between the Ferrari drivers promoted him to fourth place. When Lewis Hamilton collided with Alexander Albon ahead of him, Gasly inherited second, though he narrowly avoided being passed by the Mercedes at the finishing line.
“I felt good in the car all weekend and I think we managed to get the car exactly where I wanted,” he said. “I said if we finish ‘best of the rest’ again in the race this will be amazing for us.
“So that’s what we were doing. The whole race we had a good pace. I was controlling the gap with the guys behind but we always had quite a safe margin.”
“You get used to being on the podium in the lower series and then after coming to Formula 1 it’s a feeling you miss,” he added. “My last podium was in Formula 2 when I was champion in 2016 and then it’s something you want to experience in Formula 1.”
Gasly said he was “pressing the overtake button and trying to get low inside the cockpit” as Hamilton drew alongside him at the sprint to the line.
“You see your first podium coming together and the world champion behind you pushing you to the limit. I tried to defend the best way I could and coming out of the last corner I was just flat out and hoping that the engine can give you every single horsepower it gets.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2019 F1 season
- Crying in the Melbourne car park at 2019 grand prix was my career low – Ocon
- McLaren Racing reports reduced £71 million loss in 2019
- Kvyat: Hockenheim podium last year was “my biggest achievement” so far
- How the FIA’s new encrypted fuel flow meter targets Ferrari’s suspected ‘aliasing’ trick
- “He smashed my office door”: 23 must-see moments from ‘Drive to Survive’ season two
erikje
17th November 2019, 21:42
Well deserved podium. To be there as an opportunity arises is key.
Gasly obvious is very emotional and this team feels better suited to his style and a lot less pressure.
Jere (@jerejj)
17th November 2019, 21:59
@erikje Yes, but unfortunately, for him, Toro Rosso isn’t a team for long-term F1-careers, so unless he gets a re-promotion to the senior team, he has to leave the RB-family for good if he’s to stay in F1 into the more distant future.
Hafur
17th November 2019, 22:45
Maybe gasly move to renault or William in the future? Toro rosso ain’t a place for a long term contract
slowmo (@slowmo)
17th November 2019, 23:35
If Renault are still around in 2021 and he has a solid year next year then they may bid for him. I think whatever happens 2021 will be 2 new drivers for TR.
Jere (@jerejj)
17th November 2019, 21:57
The best day of his life so far. I’m very happy for him although I wished the maiden F1-podium more for his successor than him, especially given the points-standings situation, but nevertheless.
GechiChan (@gechichan)
17th November 2019, 21:59
this might change his career around, he was so down after the summer break but now looks like a different driver. Maybe it’s the car, maybe it’s the lower pressure, but from massively underperforming, Gasly started punching well above his weight and thrashing Kvyiat along the way.
I do believe he might still give Albon a run for his money for that second seat next year.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
17th November 2019, 22:07
In the first half of this year Gasly was certainly a contender for being among the worst on the grid but since moving to Toro Rosso he’s been among the best in the midfield. Consistent, fast, good overtaking and has shaded Kvyat completely.
I’m pleased for him to turn it around so well and show the talent he obviously had, I just think he probably wishes he’d been able to get more out of the Red Bull than he did when he had that chance. I still think Albon’s the better choice long term, but if Gasly keeps this kind of pace and consistency up he could very easily take it back from Albon or replace Verstappen should he leave the team.
Funny really both podiums from the Toro Rosso’s have been highly emotionally charged for almost the same reason. Never would have thought the Honda powered B-team would grab podiums before Renault, either.
Carlos Medrano (@carlosmedrano)
17th November 2019, 22:13
Kinda funny how the torro rosso cars are getting podiums before the red bull number 2 car does
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
17th November 2019, 22:15
The 2nd Red Bull still is on 0 podiums, right? I mean ZERO!!
Oconomo
18th November 2019, 9:07
@carlosmedrano
It only highlights how good Verstappen is compared to the rest of the grid…..driving that car to wins and podiums!
How did Gasly do while driving that car? Oh wait, he completely failed…hahaha…just like Danny Ric before him, and Alexander after him!
But atleast Gasly has secured a seat in a midfield car for the rest of his career…just like Danny Ric….
Matteo (@m-bagattini)
18th November 2019, 9:37
@carlosmedrano TBF Albon deserved the podium yesterday
Dane
17th November 2019, 23:13
Funny how the only Red Bell man without a podium this year got the 2020 seat.
Dane
17th November 2019, 23:13
*Red Bull – oops
Only Facts!
17th November 2019, 23:13
It seems that Honda wasn’t lying about being on par with Mercedes.
I’m sure Hamilton was pressing all buttons of his steering wheel too.
Interesting that after the FIA directive on fuel flow meter and intercooler oil, Ferrari and Mercedes suffered the most.
Yaru (@yaru)
18th November 2019, 3:58
Mercedes had a 1-2 the previous race though, and that was after the directive.
JohnEver
18th November 2019, 9:30
@yaru
there was another Technical Directive this week about burning/leaking oil
John H (@john-h)
18th November 2019, 0:22
NOW WE CAN FIGHT!!!
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
18th November 2019, 3:21
Good for Gasly. He seemed so happy and he’s had a really tough year. Same for Kvyat being on the podium when his daughter was born.
Yaru (@yaru)
18th November 2019, 4:00
Happy to see Gasly up there and glad he is happy especially after the year he has had.
Getting top 3 with Toro Rosso, even under special circumstances is not easy.
CC
18th November 2019, 4:52
Best day of his life? Better than his first….
Matt
18th November 2019, 6:54
I bet the mclaren drivers of recent years were sitting open mouthed as that Honda engine pulled him up the final hill
MattDS (@mattds)
18th November 2019, 7:42
Pierre has somehow forgotten ever having driven in Super Formula in 2017? :)
Tango (@tango)
18th November 2019, 9:28
Maybe Marko’s idea was to switch drivers to helps Torro Rosso secure 6th place because RB was not going to get anything else than 3rd ? #conspiracytheory
DonSmee (@david-beau)
18th November 2019, 16:16
Another young’n gets a podium before Hulk!