Pierre Gasly says his surprise podium finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix was a moment he will remember forever.
The Toro Rosso driver lost his seat at Red Bull three months ago. At the first race weekend following his return to Toro Rosso his childhood friend Anthoine Hubert was killed in a Formula 2 crash.Gasly has turned around his difficult season at Toro Rosso and finished second at Interlagos after late incidents eliminated both Ferraris and delayed Lewis Hamilton and Alexander Albon. The Toro Rosso driver beat Hamilton in a sprint to the finish line by six hundredths of a second, though Hamilton’s penalty later dropped him further back.
“From the moment I crossed the line I was in another world,” said Gasly. “The emotions were so strong.
“It is almost like a movie script what has happened in 2019 for me. Things didn’t work out the way I wanted at the beginning, but I really worked hard on my side to bounce back, show my speed and my talent.
“A lot of people have asked me about my first thoughts after crossing the finish line. Obviously, I was so happy, but this year has also been difficult and very emotional. Especially with losing one of my friends, Anthoine Hubert.
“I crossed the line and thought of him. We grew up together, and I thought about the fact I am living a moment we both dreamed of.
“For the team as well, it meant so much, it was amazing to see everyone so happy.”
Gasly said he heard “so much noise” on the podium he didn’t realise the crowd were chanting for him.
“I thought I could hear the end of my name being sung but wasn’t sure. I found out later the fans were actually chanting ‘Gasly’ which was an incredible moment. Something I will never forget for the rest of my life.”
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Ben Needham (@ben-n)
28th November 2019, 9:14
Just brilliant from Gasly. In the mid-season rankings on this very site, I believe he was either 19th or 20th (and rightly so); surely his second half of the season would be in the top 10.
His mental strength to come back from such a hard decision to take from Red Bull has been incredible. Even leaving aside the podium, he has well outpaced Kvyat at most races; the podium is his reward for a tough year.
That said, perhaps he’s one of those drivers who excel in a less-pressured environment, extracting the best from average cars. Look at Giancarlo Fisichella or Heinz-Harald Frentzen for some examples!