Daniil Kvyat will return to Formula 1 with Toro Rosso in 2019, his third spell at the team, following a year out of the championship. Motorsport Week takes a look at some of his highs – and lows – so far.
Australia 2014
Kvyat was surprisingly given the nod over fellow Red Bull junior Antonio Felix da Costa and stepped up straight from GP3 – bypassing the F2/FR3.5 step – aged just 19. Kvyat made it through to Q3 in tricky conditions at Albert Park and asserted himself strongly in the midfield throughout the race, classifying in ninth place, within sight of team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne. He followed it up with another pair of top 10 results in Malaysia and China.
Germany 2014
The early promise gave way to a mid-season malaise amid a sequence of mechanical setbacks, though none more so dramatic than in Germany. Having qualified eighth Kvyat squandered a points opportunity by spinning in battle with Sergio Perez, and held a low-key 14th when his STR9 caught fire in spectacular fashion. A lightly-toasted Kvyat clambered unscathed, and matters did improve somewhat thereafter – especially in Japan, where confirmation of Sebastian Vettel’s exit facilitated a promotion to Red Bull.
Australia 2015
Kvyat’s Red Bull career started badly though. Having scuppered a day of pre-season testing when he damaged the only new front wing with an early off at Jerez, Kvyat failed to make it through to Q3 in Australia, faster only than the Force Indias, Marcus Ericsson and the basically broken McLarens. If that wasn’t bad enough, he didn’t even make the start when his gearbox packed up en route to the grid. Further struggles, some of his own doing, some from a team in a rut, left with only five points from the first five rounds.
Hungary 2015
In a crazy race, finally a podium. Kvyat’s qualifying pace was underwhelming, he received a penalty for exceeding track limits and was fortunate not to have his car damaged when Nico Hulkenberg’s front wing obliterated itself while in close proximity. But others encountered far more drama and Kvyat was able to take second place, behind only Sebastian Vettel, to register his maiden podium finish. He went on to score a strong fourth at the next event in Belgium.
Japan 2015
A Formula 1 accident at Suzuka is rarely small – but Kvyat’s panel-bending efforts at Suzuka three years ago was large even by those standards. In Q3 Kvyat dipped a wheel onto the grass as he entered the pre-hairpin kink and from there he was a passenger, flying across the gravel and into the barriers, with a roll for good measure. Kvyat had to start from the back in his rebuilt car, came home only 13th, and had another high-profile shunt in the USA just two races later.
Mexico 2015
But either side of the Austin shunt there were some fine drives – a fifth on home turf in Russia and a fourth place in Mexico that could have been a podium. Kvyat held third spot, behind the Mercedes drivers, but a Safety Car period brought Valtteri Bottas into play. The Williams driver was able to breeze past at the restart, demoting Kvyat to fourth, where he remained through to the chequered flag.
China 2016
Kvyat again failed to start in Australia and had a difficult time in Bahrain, but took his second career podium with a feisty drive in China. An aggressive start spooked Vettel and he collided with Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, though rose back through the field to overhaul Kvyat, as the pair finished second and third behind runaway leader Nico Rosberg. Vettel labelled Kvyat a ‘torpedo’ – a nickname that stuck – afterwards but a nonplussed Kvyat dismissed Vettel’s complaints, shrugged his shoulders and quipped “that’s racing”, much to the amusement of onlookers.
Russia 2016
At the next race, on home soil – and in front of the grandstand named after him – this lap one clash was his fault. Kvyat rear-ended Vettel into Turn 1 and when the Ferrari driver backed off with damage through Turn 3 he was hit again by Kvyat. It was a huge mistake, while the Turn 1 hiccup also wrecked Daniel Ricciardo’s race. Red Bull, already eager to promote Max Verstappen, used the outcome to undertake a seat swap, sending Kvyat back to Toro Rosso.
Spain 2017
There wasn’t much to shout about during Kvyat’s second spell at Toro Rosso. A battling drive in Singapore in 2016 caught Red Bull’s eye – reckoning the old Kvyat was back – and a sterling recovery from the rear to ninth spot in Spain the following campaign was another flash of his ability. But these were too few and far between, particularly given the manner in which Carlos Sainz Jr. was asserting himself.
Britain 2017
Two successive mechanical failures were followed by two clumsy accidents. In Austria, he locked up into Turn 1 and clattered into Fernando Alonso, who in turn eliminated Max Verstappen, while a week later in Britain he clashed with team-mate Sainz Jr. on the opening lap. The duo did not see eye-to-eye on the cause but most observers suggested a greater portion of blame should be attributed to the Russian.
Singapore 2017
Kvyat was running just two spots behind Sainz Jr. during the wet phase of the race but locked up into Turn 7 and slithered helplessly into the wall. Sainz Jr., meanwhile, went on to take fourth. It proved to be the final straw for Red Bull as he was replaced by Pierre Gasly – though had to be called back for Austin when the Frenchman competed in the Super Formula showdown. In a bittersweet irony, Kvyat bowed out in the States with a points finish.
