23/08/2020
NEWS STORY
If anyone knows how brutal Helmut Marko and Red Bull can be when it comes to deciding a driver's fate, it is Daniil Kvyat.
Recruited onto the Red Bull Driver Programme in 2009, and given his first single-seater test alongside Carlos Sainz, following an impressive GP3 win at Zandvoort in 2013, the Russian was signed up for an F1 drive and in 2014 partnered Jean-Eric Vergne at Toro Rosso.
The following season he was promoted to the second Red Bull seat alongside Daniel Ricciardo following Sebastian Vettel's departure for Ferrari. Finishing seventh in the driver standings he was retained for 2016.
Things got off to a great start when he claimed his second F1 podium by finishing third in China, but following a nightmare performance in his home race at Sochi the youngster was demoted back to Toro Rosso and his seat at Red Bull given to rising star Max Verstappen.
Retained by the Faenza outfit for 2017, things didn't improve and while some of the issues encountered were beyond his control, the Russian didn't help his cause as he made a number of needless, costly mistakes. As a result - and Marko has history - Kvyat was dropped following the Singapore Grand Prix.
Admittedly, he was brought back for a one-off appearance at the subsequent United States Grand Prix, but after that all ties with Red Bull were broken.
Spending 2018 as a development driver with Ferrari, where his simulator work over race weekend was said to be highly beneficial for the team, despite his previous troubles, Kvyat returned to the F1 grid last season with... Toro Rosso.
During his previous stint with the Faenza-based team there were times Kvyat appeared a broken man, and there was genuine delight throughout the paddock when he appeared to get his career back on track again.
However, after just six races this season, partnered by Pierre Gasly, who also knows how unforgiving Marko can be, Kvyat has not impressed. One of three drivers to have been out-qualified by his teammate at every race, the Russian's best results are a brace of tenths, while his teammate has scored two sevenths and a ninth.
Worryingly, not only is Marko on the case, there is pressure from (engine supplier) Honda to bring F2 star, Yuki Tsunoda on board.
"Daniil is not performing as we expect," said the Austrian. "But we're still just before half-time.
Referring to Tsunoda, he admitted: "I do expect that, sooner or later, he will sit at the wheel of the Alpha Tauri.
"Tsunoda in Formula 2 and Liam Lawson in Formula 3 are currently in positions that qualify them for a superlicence," he added. "But we are not thinking of exchanging Kvyat."