Current Daniil Kvyat

Daniil Vyacheslavovich Kvyat or Danny Kvyat to you and I seemed to come as a shock to some as Toro Rosso's choice for a race seat that prompted all sorts of money accusations however if people had been paying attention then it might have been less of a shock.

With Ricciardo being promoted to the A-Team it was only logical that Toro Rosso were going to promote one of their youth squad to the race seat and whilst Kvyat was not at the front of the queue in the fame stakes he certainly got there in the results stakes. At the begining of 2013 he was third in line to the throne sitting firmly behind the ever popular 'oh-my-god-he's-a-future-world-champion' Felix Da Costa and the 'oh-my-god-he's-the-talented-son-of-a-rally-driving-champ' Carlos Sainz Jr. Da Costa was to run with the big boys in the 3.5 series, Sainz Jr was to run in GP3 with races in the 3.5 series when he could whilst Danny was to run in GP3 and as a none points scorer in European F3. Da Costa proceded to throw away his hard earned reputation with a string of mediocre results and as the season went on he looked more and more out classed by Magnussen and Van Dorne. Sainz Jr went at it like a wild man and never failed to look quick, however he was a complete magnet for accidents and most of the time you were watching him coming back through the field after having a nose cone taken off. Our friend Kvyat on the other hand played the slowly slowly catchy monkey game with a quiet but firm start to his GP3 season he kept himself in contention whilst his team sorted out issues with his tyres and then when it came to the start of the second half of the season in Spa he went into overdrive. In a GP3 season that has seen around 10 different winners and the winners of the feature races just falling off the pace in the sprint race Kvyat turned it on its head by winning the last 3 feature races and coming through the field for points finishes in the sprint races. At some points he looked Vettel like untouchable. If you look at that and compare it with what Da Costa and Sainz Jr were doing at the time it shouldn't be a shock to anyone that Toro Rosso decided he was the guy to promote.

Its no doubt that 2014 will be a tricky year for him in F1, although the commentators pronouncing his name will have just as tricky a time (The V is silent apparently). He's come in with brand new rules, very little track time and is up against a much under rated teammate in Jean Eric Vergne who might just have a point to prove. Also as Kyvat has spent the last 2 years winning everything in sight (GP3 Champion in 2013, Formula Renault 2.0 champion in 2012) it will take some time to adjust to fighting in the middle of the pack. Doesn't seem to be the best qualifyer in the world but he does seem to be very cool and calm under pressure and if you give him a good car he gets the best out of it. He also has the Vettel like ability of coming good just as its squeeky bum time.

No doubt you'll spend most of the year hearing about how he is the second Russian to race in F1 and that he'll be looking forward to his home race, however Kvyat was actually born in Bashkortostan which is a soverign state and a subject of Russia. So its all a bit Scotland/Britian which makes him Russia's answer to Paul Di Resta (although he'd prefer you to say Jackie Stewart). He was only born in April 1994 (only about a week before the death of Senna) which makes him not even 20 yet which always leaves the worry that he might crack under the pressure of it all.

It could be the Kvyat just becomes another name on the Red Bull failure list but don't think for a minute he hasn't earned his place in the team. I have a sneeky feeling he'll do better than a lot of people think he will do.

What do people think? Another Vettel or another Jamie Alguersauri?
 
He really seems to be coming into his own doesn't he? I was really hoping he was going to get on the end of that chain of cars because he had the pace to pick up a good result.

Good stuff from him today. Lets remember without the grid drop he'd have started 11th and would have been well up the field.
 
Kvyat must feel like he just hit the lottery. It remains to be seen if he's ready for a top drive though. Could be tough sledding for Kivvy next year though.
 
The only possible factor in the decision is the one we'll never really know which is how JEV gets on in the team. If he is unpopular with the mechanics or is seen as not a team player or something along those lines it would suggest why he has been over looked in favour of Kvyat. Other than that, there is no obvious epxlination.
 
It's the age difference, I tell you!!

24 against 20!

Means sod all to me but then I'm not a TP.
 
Yes, his Vergnes average and median results are slightly better but he has had three seasons in Formula One. This also doesn't affect my previous comment as it remains that he has been consistently managed good results.
I know people believe Dr. Marko doesn't have a clue what he is doing but the same is said about Bernie Ecclestone and both seem to be doing fabolous in their jobs. :)
 
Thinking of putting a cheeky tenner on Kvyat for the 2015 drivers title.

Bet he gave Danny Ric a wink as he walked past him in the pitlane after quali today.
 
Well.....he's not done badly for the rest of the season and next year he'll be in a Red Bull which might possibly be the class of the field so I think no chance might be a little harsh on the boy.
 
So a little mention for our rather over looked Russian friend. He may not be flavour of the month now we have Max and Carlos but he has come into form. He had a pretty dam good British GP and was very fiesty on the first lap or so with that move he pulled on Vettel.
 
He's done well again and is justifying his position in the team after a torrid start

He did give the Ferrari's a real headache in the race
 
So after his 'demotion' to Torro Rosso for the rest of the season (the media states it gives him chance to 'rebuild his reputation') how on earth do you motivate yourself if you're Kvyat? There hardly going to go "oh we were wrong" and put him back at Red Bull next year are they?

Even if you are a regular points scorer its not going to do you any good. I guess the only thing you can aim for is to drive the wheels off the car in order to beat Verstappen.
 
Kvyat has struggled a lot in Q2 up to now, but what an unorthodox move. Sainz again the forgotten man.

How did this never happen to Webber?
 
It's an odd one all around, in that he never did enough at Toro Rosso to suggest that he deserved promotion, but he also hasn't done enough at Red Bull to suggest he deserves relegation.

He beat Ricciardo in the Drivers' Championship last year...
 
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