Source: Renault F1 Media

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Sainz: Gasly was the safest option for Red Bull

Sainz: Gasly was the safest option for Red Bull

20-09-2018 13:45
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Jake Williams-Smith

Carlos Sainz believes that Red Bull made a safe decision by choosing Pierre Gasly to partner Max Verstappen at the team in 2019. Sainz, who himself was in the hunt for the seat at Red Bull for next season, said that the decision to promote Gasly was the easier decision for the team.

Sainz will be joining McLaren for next season alongside the team's junior driver Lando Norris, however for a while he was in contention for the seat at Red Bull. However, his loan to Renault meant that he was realistically out of the picture when it came to deciding who to promote to fill the Daniel Ricciardo hole at the senior team.

"I am convinced that in 2016 and 2017 that if there was a gap at Red Bull then I would have got it but Ricciardo and Verstappen were fixed,” he told Sky Sports F1.

He also said he felt that Gasly was a safe pick for Red Bull but did acknowledge that the Frenchman deserved his seat at the team.

“Then I left for Renault, and had a very good year, but inevitably I lost a bit of touch and Red Bull didn’t have as much information, so they went for the safe option with Gasly, which I fully back because he is a great driver and deserves the Red Bull chance.

“This is my first time in F1 that I will have a two-year contract. It gives me stability and it gives me confidence. The team have had a tough year and they have learnt from it. There has been the clear reaction of a team which wants to get back to winning ways.”