Pierre Gasly in transfer talks with Williams F1 for 2025?[F1-Gate.com]

Pierre Gasly has opened transfer talks with Williams ahead of the 2025 F1 season, Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has suggested.

New developments surrounding the F1 driver market appear every day. Nico Hulkenberg is close to signing a three-year contract with Sauber in 2025, as reported in German media.

Audi want to sign Carlos Sainz, but are willing to wait until mid-May.

Gasly, whose contract expires at the end of 2024, has been mentioned as a potential driver to replace Sainz.

Gasly, winner of the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, has now been linked with Williams as a possible replacement for Logan Sargent.

Appearing on the latest episode of the Sky F1 podcast, Croft predicted what the F1 driver market will look like in 2025.

“I think Nico Hulkenberg will go to Sauber,” he said. “He will join Carlos Sainz at Audi, Mercedes will use Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull will keep Sergio Perez. Logically it makes sense too. ”

“Where will Zhou go? He might go to Alpine. He was an academy driver at Renault. Ocon or Gasly or both will leave Alpine.”

“Gathly could move to Williams. He is certainly in talks with Williams to run alongside Alex Albon. That frees up space, but Jack Doohan, who is well used to the team, is on the side. I’m waiting. What about Haas? No, Kevin Magnussen and Ollie Bearman.”

“Zhou is not part of Ferrari, so Ferrari will want to bring in their own young drivers. You could come to the conclusion that they could do it with two more seats on the grid, but that’s the whole Andretti thing.”

Based on Croft’s assessment of the driver market, Zhou will likely miss out on driving next year.

“I don’t think that just because a driver’s popularity guarantees a full house at a grand prix will keep that driver in the sport,” he explains. “I think Zhou deserves a seat on the grid. He’s a much better driver than he shows at Sauber.”

That scene, that feeling, in the back of my mind I was thinking, “I hope this isn’t the last, but it might be the last.” I don’t know where he will line up on the grid.”

Category: F1 / Pierre Gasly / williams racing / Alpine F1 Team