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Gasly surprised by wet weather tyre call by Toro Rosso

19:12, 23 Jul 2018

byJake Williams-Smith

Pierre Gasly says he was surprised that his Toro Rosso team called him into the pits to fit full wet weather tyres during the German Grand Prix. Although it had started to rain it was only at some points on the track, with the majority of Hockenheim bone dry.

Speaking after the race, Gasly said he was surprised by the call but understood the gamble, with the team making the decision based on the weather radar pointing to a monumental downpour, one that happened just minutes after the race finished.

"At that time they asked for my opinion and I told them that the rain was still pretty light and they asked me to pit but I didn't really expect them to put the wets and then they put them on and I was like 'Ok let's try' but of course you don't have this information in the car.

"I was thinking it will probably work out but then I did three corners and I was like either it comes now and we have a chance or we are dead. Stayed out for three laps and the tyres were completely overheating, it was impossible.

I could not even feel how slippery it was out there with the wets on the dry. It was just sliding everywhere. That's how it is but pretty tough starting last.

"We were not really in a good position at the time so they were like the gain if it works would have been much bigger than just trying to stick on the same strategy than the others.

It was a pretty big gamble with a pretty low chance but when you are outside of the points it doesn't matter. That's why we tried it, hoping for more rain and to score big points but it didn't work."

Toro Rosso are currently in eighth in the F1 constructor standings with the result after Gasly's teammate Brendon Hartley managed to score a point in 10th.