Red Bull's brutal explanation for dropping Gasly

Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko offered a typically brutal assessment of Pierre Gasly's 2019 performances when explaining the decision to replace him with Alexander Albon.

Albon will step up to the senior Red Bull squad for the remaining nine races of the season midway into his rookie Formula 1 campaign.

Red Bull will assess their options ahead of 2020, with Daniil Kvyat also in the mix to partner Max Verstappen next year, despite being overlooked on this occasion.

It seems unlikely that Gasly will be the driver next to the Dutchman, however, having been outscored by more than 100 points by Verstappen over 12 races this season.

"Gasly has problems in traffic, he loses places and he can't overtake," Marko told Auto Bild.

"So we had to react and give Albon a chance until the end of the season. Gasly takes his place at Toro Rosso and then we see who will be driving next year next to Max."

These two go back a long way ? Nine years on and set to take on Spa ?? #givesyouwings pic.twitter.com/g16HSZKOEb

— Aston Martin Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) August 12, 2019

The Frenchman is 118 points behind Verstappen over the summer break, and just five points ahead of McLaren's Carlos Sainz. Gasly has finished behind at least one of the McLaren drivers in three of the last five races, while Verstappen has won twice in that period.

Albon's journey to the Red Bull senior team is a remarkable one. He was dropped from the team's junior programme in 2012 and was only brought back into the fold earlier this year at the last minute, having signed a long-term deal with Nissan to race in Formula E before Marko came calling.

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