page_title: Pierre Gasly
section_title: Return to Toro Rosso (2019)
hierarchical_section_title: Pierre Gasly / Career / Formula One / Return to Toro Rosso (2019)
caption_attribution_description: Governador do Estado de São Paulo, João Doria, durante Grande Prêmio do Brasil de F1 2019. Local: São Paulo/SP. Data: 17/11/2019
context_page_description: Pierre Gasly is a French racing driver, currently competing in Formula One under the French flag, racing for Scuderia AlphaTauri. He is the 2016 GP2 Series champion, and the runner-up in the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 Series and the 2017 Super Formula Championship. He made his Formula One début with Toro Rosso at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix. He moved to Red Bull Racing in 2019, before moving back after trading with Alexander Albon from Toro Rosso between the Hungarian and Belgian rounds to partner Daniil Kvyat.
context_section_description: On 12 August 2019, it was announced that Gasly would be demoted back to junior team Toro Rosso with Alexander Albon taking his place. The change came after Albon's strong performance in the Toro Rosso STR14 throughout the first half of the season, with a best finish of 6th at the rain-affected German Grand Prix. Upon the shock mid-season announcement, the team at Red Bull said in a press release, “The team will use the next nine races to evaluate Alex’s performance in order to make an informed decision as to who will drive alongside Max in 2020.” On the dropping of Gasly, Christian Horner said: "Pierre really needs to take some time out during the break, reflect, and take the lessons into the second part of the year. We desperately need him realising more of the potential of the car."
  During the remainder of the season at Toro Rosso, Gasly achieved five points finishes, including a 9th-place finish at his first race back at the team in Belgium. His best performance came at the chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix. Gasly qualified in 7th place and took advantage of retirements from Valtteri Bottas and both Ferrari drivers, as well as a collision between Lewis Hamilton and Alexander Albon, to finish the race in 2nd place after holding off Hamilton in a straight drag to the finish line. This marked the first podium finish of Gasly's Formula One career, Toro Rosso's best race result since the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, and Honda's first 1–2 finish since the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix. On his cool-down lap, Gasly remarked over the radio: "This is the best day of my life". He finished the season in 7th place in the championship with 95 points.
caption: Gasly (second from left) on the podium after finishing second in the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix
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