Hamilton: Gasly deserves first F1 win after Red Bull treatment

Lewis Hamilton feels Pierre Gasly’s shock maiden Formula 1 victory at the Italian Grand Prix was fully deserved after being dropped by Red Bull last season.

Gasly has endured a tumultuous 18-month period in which he was promoted and then dropped by Red Bull after just 12 races at the senior team, while also having to deal with the personal tragedy of the death of close friend Anthoine Hubert at last year’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Since returning to Toro Rosso – now AlphaTauri – the Frenchman has enjoyed a superb run of form which included recording his first F1 podium in Brazil last year, before translating that strong run into 2020.

On Sunday, Gasly claimed a sensational and unlikely maiden grand prix victory at Monza having capitalised on a penalty for erstwhile race-leader Hamilton.

“Pierre is just a really nice guy,” Hamilton said. “I think he has a lot of talent and I don’t think he was necessarily treated fairly at Red Bull in the end when he got demoted.

“It’s not easy for a driver when that happens and so I empathise with that. I think to then build the confidence up, in a necessarily not-as-quick team, and then come around with some really great performances he’s had this year already with that car and then to get himself a win, it’s not easy to do that.

“I’m really impressed, I think he’s done a fantastic job and deserves the success and hopefully that creates an opportunity for him moving forwards. But also he beat the team that demoted him so it’s definitely got to hurt them.”