Daniil Kvyat lost his seat at Toro Rosso. His place is taken by Pierre Gasly. The young Frenchman, who won the GP2 series last year, will be debuting at Malaysia’s GP this weekend.
“Kvyat did not show what he is capable of this year, due in part to technical problems, but also to his own mistakes. That’s why we are replacing him with Pierre Gasly,” said Torro Rosso team principal Franz Tost. He continued to add that Kvyat’s replacement does not mean he’s leaving too. “He remains part of the Red Bull family.”
This year, Kvyat scored 4 points in the championship and underperformed compared to his Spanish team-mate Carlos Sainz, who scored 48 points.
It’s not the first time Kvyat loses his seat. Previously, the Russian driver had to vacate his position at Red Bull Racing for Max Verstappen.
This must be the end of Daniil’s F1 career. He already had major problems coping with his demotion from RBR’s main force. Having to live with this happening twice, would border to the impossible.
One might ask what value lies in the remark that Daniil will not leave the Red Bull family. Adding that to the fact that an age of 25 is compulsory to be interesting for other teams (and Daniil is 23), we estimate his chances to find another team are slim.
While this must be super-disappointing for Daniil, this does open up space for the 2018 seat carousel, as Sainz will be leaving for Renault. If Gasly remains, a single Torro seat would still be open. Re-enter Daniil? I doubt it.
Rumours are that Honda want Nobuharu Matsushita in the second seat. However, unless he can finish at least 3rd in the F2 championship, he is currently 6th, he won’t get a super-licence. And with just 2 races left that looks unlikely. It’s also interesting that Red Bull’s junior program is pretty thin now and other than Gasly have no one else that could get into F1. So unless Matsushita can get a super-licence or an ex-Red Bull program driver like Vergne is brought back – Kyvat will likely stay at TR
Matsushita: Yep, picked up on that too. But more as wishful thinking on the part of the people talking about it. However, it would be great to have a good Japanese driver in F1. (that would surely wake up the likes of Toyota?) Not sure if Matsushita would be that driver though.
Vergne? I never got why people rated him so highly. Maybe I just missed something.
Does Vergne still qualify for a superlicence? I thought the F1 experience had to be in the last 3 years?
And anyway if Vergne was a possibility wouldn’t they have used him this year? I get the impression that Kvyat only has the seat because there is no better options