Pierre Gasly admits returning to Red Bull is his ambition going forward following an “intense” 2019.
The Frenchman began the year with his first opportunity at the senior outfit but after finding himself battling with the top midfield teams, he was subsequently dropped during the summer break.
Then, when the season resumed in Belgium and now back at Toro Rosso, he suffered the loss of friend Anthoine Hubert in a Formula 2 crash, only adding to his frustrations on the track.
“Last year was a really intense year for me, professionally and personally,” said Gasly, speaking to City AM. “This was probably one of the saddest moments I’ve had in my life.
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“Then a couple of months later, one of the best days of my life with my first podium in Formula 1 [in Brazil].
“As a kid, you dream about being an F1 driver, then being on the podium and when it happens it feels crazy. After the line, all the emotions came through because it had been such a rollercoaster of a year. I’ve been tested mentally a lot.
“It’s not something I want to talk [about] too much. During these six months, many things didn’t go well. I was partly responsible, and the team also know every one of us was responsible for the lack of performance.”
That moment at Interlagos encapsulated what was a strong response to the disappointment of his demotion and now part of what has become AlphaTauri for 2020, Gasly hopes it can be a stepping stone back to Red Bull.
“That’s the plan,” he declared. “I want to fight for wins.
“I’m sure that when the opportunity comes we’ll do things very differently, but as a driver, my goal is to be in the fastest car I can, which is the Red Bull.”