Pierre Gasly says 2023 could be his last chance to return to the front of the grid with Red Bull.
Now 26, the Frenchman was promoted from the energy drink company’s second F1 team to the plum Red Bull seat some three years ago - but he was soon demoted once again as he struggled to match up against Max Verstappen.
However, his successors - Alex Albon and Sergio Perez - have similarly struggled next to new world champion Verstappen, leaving Gasly pushing for a second chance.
"Absolutely, that’s clearly the goal," said Gasly, who drives for Faenza based Alpha Tauri.
"I’m not in F1 to be satisfied with top 10 or top 5. Victories, poles, championships are the only reason I work so hard in F1. And for that, you need the car."
But Gasly says his last chance may be next season - the last year in his current contract with Red Bull.
"We’ll see how it goes this year," he told the French newspaper 20 Minutes.
"I have two years left on my contract, if we decide to go all the way," Gasly revealed. "For this year of course it’s at Alpha Tauri, so by itself there’s only 2023 left as a potential year with Red Bull.
"This is something that will have to be discussed."
He is also not ruling out splitting with Red Bull and pursuing his dream of winning the world championship with another outfit.
"The first conversations will be with Red Bull and we’ll see where it takes us, if the desire is common," said Gasly.
"And if it is not, we will have to see what the opportunities are in the future."