TORO ROSSO CONFIRMS DANIIL KVYAT FOR 2019
The Russian racer will replace Pierre Gasly at Toro Rosso as the Frenchman moves up to the Red Bull senior team.
It will be Kvyat’s third spell at Toro Rosso, having made his debut for the team in 2014 before moving up to Red Bull. He returned to the junior squad in early 2016 and spent a difficult two years with the team before being demoted again at the end of last year.
Although he was signed as Ferrari’s development driver for 2018, he has been feed up to race with his former team once again next season.
“I would like to thank Red Bull and Toro Rosso for giving me this opportunity to race in Formula 1 again and I am particularly pleased to be returning to a team I know very well,” Kvyat said.
“Toro Rosso has always made me feel at home and I’m sure it will be the same next season.
I would also like to thank Ferrari for trusting my driving skills which allowed me to stay connected to F1 as their development driver. Even if my duties were primarily simulator based I’ve learned a lot and I now feel stronger and better prepared than when I left Toro Rosso.
I never gave up the hope of racing again. I am still young and I have kept in good shape to always be prepared in case another opportunity presented itself. I will give my best to deliver what the team expects from me and I can’t wait for everything to start again.”
Kvyat enjoyed a strong start to his F1 career, picking up points in his first two races and finishing 15th in the overall championship in 2014.
At Red Bull, he picked up two podium finishes, including a second place in Hungary, but struggled to continue his strong results after returning to Toro Rosso.
Team boss Franz Tost believes the Russian has matured in his time away from the race seat and will be ready to replace Gasly.
“I believe [Kvyat] deserves another chance in Formula 1,” he said. “Daniil is a high skilled driver with fantastic natural speed, which he has prven several times in his career.
There were some difficult situations he had to face in the past, but I’m convinced that having had the time to mature as a person away from the races will help him show his undeniable capabilities on track. We’ll push very hard to prove him with a good package, and I feel the best is yet to come from
his side.
That’s why we are happy to welcome him back to our team, to start a successful season together.”
Toro Rosso is yet to confirm who will race alongside Kvyat at the team, with Esteban Ocon on the shortlist for the seat.
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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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