Pierre Gasly will not face questions about his Formula 1 future on Thursday as he skips Italian Grand Prix media day through illness.
Ahead of a race weekend, Thursday is usually full of media commitments for F1 drivers. It is when the official press conferences take place, while there are also plenty of other opportunities for reporters to get some face time with the stars of the paddock over the course of the day.
But Gasly will be a notable absentee from all that this week. "Following doctors advice, Pierre Gasly will not be on track today as he’s currently unwell," was the statement that came from AlphaTauri.
Time with the Frenchman was likely to have been in demand, given the current speculation over his future. After the door was closed to another chance of racing with Red Bull, he is considering his options and could leave for a new start if the right opportunity comes along.
Alpine are believed to want to sign him and create an all-French lineup for next year with Esteban Ocon. They have already lost Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin and watched Oscar Piastri slip through their grasp to sign for McLaren, so will be determined not to miss out on another top driver.
But the outcome of the move appears to be out of their hands. The power is with AlphaTauri and Red Bull, as Gasly is still contracted to spend another season with them.
Red Bull have made it clear they are open to allowing him to leave a year early – if their demands are met. Financial compensation is believed to have been already agreed, but the deal also hinges on whether or not AlphaTauri can replace him with someone "exciting", as Christian Horner revealed.
Colton Herta is the man they want – the American is a talented driver who would also bring a wealth of sponsorship opportunities to the team and to the sport as a whole. But the stumbling block is that he does not currently meet all the requirements for a superlicence.
And so they are trying to convince the FIA to bend the rules and allow him to compete in the sport in 2023. If the sport's governing body stands firm on the rules, though, it could put Gasly's Alpine move in jeopardy.
