Pierre Gasly says he is already looking ahead to 2023 and improving the AlphaTauri, as well as saying he is a much better driver now than when at Red Bull.

The Frenchman saw his future for next season decided earlier on in this campaign when, on the back of Sergio Perez signing a deal to 2024 with Red Bull, he put pen to paper to stay for at least one more season at AlphaTauri.

Whether he wants to stay with them after 2023 remains to be seen, though, with him becoming a top-level driver in recent seasons and surely deserving of a shot to drive for a team that is right at the front of the field.

Reflecting on signing the contract, Gasly told the Italian branch of Motorsport.com:

“I still have a year left on my contract with them [Red Bull].”

“I think there were a lot of rumours around my name because Red Bull had not yet announced clearly what was planned with me, at least I think so.

“Because there were so many rumours. I also talked about it with Helmut [Marko], because beyond the contracts in force, every year we always meet to talk about the future. And he was very clear in telling me that they wanted to keep me in AlphaTauri."

2023 is sorted, then, but what about after that? Gasly went on to suggest he feels he's ready for a move to a front-running team:

“I have much more experience, I am more efficient in working with the team, I know exactly what I want from the car, and my feedback is much clearer. You grow and you learn.

“I think I have shown that with a mid-table car I have been able to grow and achieve good results, and with all the respect I have for AlphaTauri, there will always be a gap to a top team. We can achieve a podium, even a win we have shown that it is not impossible, there was a one percent chance and we did it."

IMOLA, ITALY - APRIL 22: Pierre Gasly of France driving the (10) Scuderia AlphaTauri AT03 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Emilia Romagna at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on April 22, 2022 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

2023 is up first of all, though, and he revealed he is already thinking ahead to next year and how the team can improve the car for next season:

“I am already working towards 2023. I know that I will be with AlphaTauri until November 2023, so what I do now is something that will also be useful for next year.

“I’m not saying that we have to give up aiming for big results this year, but I’m aware that every little step, every piece of feedback I can give, every direction I’m pushing the team in, will go to influence next year’s car.

“That’s why I’m looking at it from that perspective, as a driver you always give as much as you can, but it’s undeniable that when you’re fighting for the podium, it’s more fun than when you’re doing it for 15th position."