Formula 1: Jehan Daruvala closing in on F1 seat amid Pierre Gasly’s future lurking in the dark: Indian ace driver Jehan Daruvala is now a step closer to getting a seat in Formula 1 after he tested the MCL35 of McLaren and got a step closer to securing his super license. Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly’s future is still in the dark as he signed a new contract with AlphaTauri that will lock him with the tam till 2023. Follow Formula 1 Updates and British Grand Prix Live on InsideSport.IN.
Daruvala tested McLaren’s MCL35 on the Silverstone circuit and said, “I really enjoyed my first time driving a Formula 1 car. I felt immediately at home, and while it was physically more demanding than anything I have driven in the past, I didn’t have any issues with my fitness.”
Formula 1: Indian driver Jehan Daruvala closing in on F1 SEAT after McLaren test, Pierre Gasly’s future still in dark despite signing new contract
“As a result, we were able to work through the run plan well and complete everything we had mapped out. We did a mixture of high-fuel long runs and as well as shorter, low-fuel runs on different tyre compounds. That gave me a good understanding of how teams operate on an F1 weekend,” Daruvala added.
What a couple of days it’s been!… An unreal experience driving a Formula 1 car for the first time around Silverstone 🤩👌🏽 A big thank you again to everyone that made this happen, I had lots of fun and learned so much in just two days ✅
📸 photos by @nickdunganphoto #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/SOxeyj5J90
— Jehan Daruvala (@DaruvalaJehan) June 24, 2022
“Overall, I’m very pleased with how the two days went, how I coped and the mileage we were able to complete. I felt I was able to push closer to the limit with every lap and I can’t wait to drive one of these cars again,” Daruvala concluded.
— Jehan Daruvala (@DaruvalaJehan) June 24, 2022
Moreover, the 23-year-old Indian driver completed 130 laps at Silverstone while driving the MCL35M which is McLaren’s 2021 car. Meanwhile, the F2 driver has now finished every one of the necessities to be permitted to race at the most elevated level should a chance to do so go along.
@DaruvalaJehan in his maiden F1 test with the one and only @McLarenF1. This is a huge step for Indian Motorsport coming back into Formula One. We are very proud of what this young individual has accomplished with all of his hard work and discipline. We got your back bro ! pic.twitter.com/W7myhPZgmx
— Mumbai Falcons (@MumbaiFalcons) June 24, 2022
Formula 1: Indian driver Jehan Daruvala closing in on F1 SEAT after McLaren test, Pierre Gasly’s future still in dark despite signing new contract
Meanwhile, it gives the Red Bull outfit an additional choice as they sweat on the fate of Pierre Gasly. The Frenchman recently signed a new contract that will lock him with AlphaTauri for the 2023 season. Moreover, it will be the last year of his current contract. However, Gasly will still be looking for a seat elsewhere as he would like to drive for a bigger team.
Meanwhile, if that is the situation, then Red Bull should advance the following driver in line from their driver improvement program to have his spot. That likely could be Daruvala, particularly directly following the suspension of Juri Vips after the Estonian racer utilized racist language while partaking in a computer game live stream.
The Indian is in his third F2 season, having completed the twelfth and seventh in his first two seasons in F2. Meanwhile, in 2022, he has accomplished an individual best of five podium finishes and sits third in the standings overall. Moreover, he is very much positioned for a fight for second place but is quite far off from the leader Felipe Drugovich.
Formula 1: Indian driver Jehan Daruvala closing in on F1 SEAT after McLaren test, Pierre Gasly’s future still in dark despite signing new contract