Red Bull would not stand in the way of Pierre Gasly leaving Alpha Tauri to join Alpine next season, providing all the conditions for his release are met, senior consultant Helmut Marko said on Friday.
The Race reports that Gasly has agreed personal terms with Alpine and is close to signing in a move that would close another F1 door to Daniel Ricciardo, who has been replaced at McLaren by Oscar Piastri.
Austrian Red Bull advisor Marko said he and the Red Bull teams appreciated a move to the French factory team would attract Gasly.
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“We have a valid contract for 2023, but in the meantime there are talks,” Marko said. “If our conditions are met, we wouldn’t stand in Gasly’s way.
“It would be a dream come true for him to drive in a French factory team, but not all the conditions have been met yet.”
The Race reports that Alpine is set to pay Red Bull a fee to release Gasly.
The amount of vacancies left on the grid for 2023 are now very few, with Haas or Alfa Romeo the only potential suitors.
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Gasly moved into serious contention for Alpine after it became clear on Friday that McLaren had succeeded in recruiting Australian Piastri after the Contracts Recognition Board ruled in their favour in a dispute with Alpine.
Alpine have now lost both two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who is set to join Aston Martin, and Piastri for next year, leaving them searching for a partner for Esteban Ocon.
Gasly remains under contract with the Red Bull stable, which operates Alpha Tauri, for next season.
If Gasly leaves, Red Bull would consider American IndyCar driver Colton Herta for the vacant Alpha Tauri seat, but he has yet to be granted a Formula One superlicence.
“We’ve thought about that,” Marko told Sky Germany. “But we don’t want to announce anything yet.” “He’s done a test and he was good. Let’s wait and see how this develops.” Marko added that the team would also consider Mick Schumacher, who may be released from Haas and the Ferrari programme this year.
“That’s not an issue” he said. “But, of course, we have our own programme and prefer our own people.”
