Red Bull new boy Pierre Gasly has fired a warning shot to teammate Max Verstappen ahead of the 2019 season. The Frenchman was promoted to replace the Renault-bound Daniel Ricciardo at the team but doesn't accept the 'second fiddle' label.
Ricciardo left the Red Bull team after his outlook of Red Bull seemingly changed and he acknowledged their vision as having Verstappen at the focal point of the team's future. Gasly, however, expects to fight his Dutch teammate on equal footing despite being the newcomer.
"Being one of the best drivers right now will be a great challenge for me," he explained to Motorsport-Total.
"It will take some time for me to be competitive, but I am not here to be the number two driver, that's not what I want or what I'm happy with.
"These things take some time, and Max is one of the fastest guys in the paddock, which is super exciting for me, because it brings you to a higher level.
"For sure, I'll be better over the course of the season. If I have a car I can win with, I would like to, but if I have a car that is only good enough for the top five, that will be the goal."
His 2018 season alongside Brendon Hartley provided clear evidence he was the stronger driver of the Toro Rosso pair, but his time at Red Bull looks like a much more difficult prospect with the hotly-tipped Verstappen alongside him.
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