AlphaTauri "in the mix" as Gasly predicts "unusual" Bahrain GP

AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly believes the Bahrain Grand Prix will throw up an "unusual" spectacle as teams opt for different strategies as a result of high levels of tyre degradation at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Gasly has been in a rich vein of form this year and the Frenchman carried this into qualifying, securing eighth place on the grid, missing out on the top five by only one-tenth.

With degradation levels proving to be high across the weekend so far, Gasly was asked if AlphaTauri could go against the grain and attempt an audacious one-stop strategy.

"No," he replied without hesitation. "This for sure I can tell you. But I think it's going to be quite an unusual race tomorrow in terms of strategy.

"A lot of teams have done different things with their tyre allocations, some with two primes [left]. So I think we are going to see some different things but we have our cards to play and I think we should be in a good position for the race."

Gasly had been higher up in the pecking order ahead of qualifying and conceded to being frustrated that such small margins have demoted him from a possible fifth down to eighth on the grid.

"I think we can call it a good quali. It is still one of our strongest of the year in P8. Obviously, looking at the gap ahead I think there was a tenth to P5 and maybe two-tenths to P4, so [that] always makes it a bit frustrating but I think I was happy with the lap.

"We are in the mix for some good points tomorrow and that is the most important thing."

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