Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso, Hockenheimring, 2019

Kvyat says return to podium will “send a message”

2019 German Grand Prix

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Daniil Kvyat says his third place finish in the German Grand Prix shows he can perform at a consistently high level.

The Toro Rosso driver has endured a difficult time in Formula 1 since being relegated from Red Bull early in 2016. After rejoining Toro Rosso Kvyat was dropped by the team towards the end of the following season, then returned this year after a season away.

“It’s been an incredible few years in my life,” said Kvyat in today’s FIA press conference. He said there had been “sometimes dark times when I thought Formula 1 was over for me and a podium would never happen again.

“But life just proves that if you work hard and never give up things are possible.”

“Hopefully I can send a message out there that I’m ready to fight for these kind of moments on a consistent basis,” he added. “There is no stronger message than a podium like this.”

Kvyat’s race turned on a well-timed switch to slick tyres on lap 45. But he admitted his earlier call for slicks came at the “wrong moment”.

“The second time it was the perfect moment,” he said. “I thought it’s our moment. And I was right.

“I had to overtake [Lance] Stroll for [second] and then from there on just hope that the quicker cars would take time to catch me at the end of the race.

“So I’m very happy with this podium. It’s fantastic also for the team, 11 years since the last podium, which Sebastian [Vettel] made. I think everyone is really happy today.”

A remarkable day for Kvyat was capped by the news he became a father overnight as his girlfriend Kelly Piquet, daughter of three-times F1 champion Nelson Piquet, had give birth to their first child.

“From my side of course I will dedicate this podium to my girlfriend Kelly and to my daughter,” Kvyat added.

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47 comments on “Kvyat says return to podium will “send a message””

  1. Im pretty sure Gasly got the message clear and loud crashing out while trying to overtake Albon.

  2. I am so happy for him with this news. And his podium ;)

    I disliked the way Red Bull handled him, and it’s good to see that his break at Ferrari and return to TR has paid off.

  3. Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
    28th July 2019, 19:31

    A well deserved return to the podium. He was treated in an extremely harsh way in 2016(he was only 22 himself back then), and till his departure in late 2017 he was a shadow of himself. The year at Ferrari and doing some behind-the-scenes work helped him and he is performing at his best right now. Its good to see him being at his best part of his life, on and off the circuit, after the infamous swap with Verstappen.

  4. Really happy for him. After his demotion from Red Bull, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking he’d experienced the podium for the last time.
    Properly chuffed for the Toro Rosso crew, love seeing a “smaller” team get their day…
    And two Honda’s on the podium!

    1. Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
      28th July 2019, 19:36

      @eurobrun

      two Honda’s on the podium!

      And one of them a Toro Rosso. And this is where I see a problem for Gasly. Kvyat gets a podium in a Toro Rosso before Gasly does in a Red Bull! Also, Gasly barely has double the points of Kvyat. Gasly seriously is underperforming badly this season.

      1. I honestly struggle to understand what is Marko’s role at the team other than to destroy young drivers morale. Gasly’s doing exactly like Kvyat 3 years ago. Poor guy.

        1. The difference is that Kvyat was at least very evenly matched with Ricciardo, whereas Gasly is nowhere near Verstappen.

          1. Then again noone is close to Verstappen.

          2. I’m sure you could get some verstappen-like driver at red bull if you really wanted, leclerc must be tired of ferrari surely?

            Alonso? Maybe he’s a bit old but he’d be closer to verst than almost all the grid, surely you can’t get hamilton.

          3. Let’s give the talk of “Alonso in a Mercedes/Ferrari/RBR car” a rest, shall we?

            While I wouldn’t deny his talent, I’d say that Formula 1 is a much more pleasant and enjoyable place this year with his absence. Alonso reminds me of Loki from the folk tales, spreading discord and strife, because its fun, and because he delights in mischief. My opinion of McLaren (and Zak to a great extent) has gone through a 180-degree shift, in no small part due to him leaving.

      2. He’s underperforming extremely well, not badly. Max is underperforming badly.

  5. Adam (@rocketpanda)
    28th July 2019, 19:48

    It’s probably Kvyat’s demotion and subsequent collapse in form that has Red Bull wary of doing the same to Gasly, but he was outclassed not just by Verstappen today but by both Kvyat and Albon.

    Gasly’s been arguably worse than Kvyat was during his Red Bull demotion. There’s no doubting Gasly’s a good driver but his promotion to Red Bull seems to have come a year too early. He’s far off Verstappen’s pace and looks uncomfortable both overtaking and defending cars he should be able to breeze past in his machinery. It could do him good to go back to Toro Rosso for a while. Meanwhile Kvyat looks very strong and this podium’s ‘message’ is obviously he’s ready to step back up to the main squad. If he does, and succeeds, it would be an amazing redemption story.

    1. Josh (@canadianjosh)
      28th July 2019, 20:13

      I think Gasly getting promoted wasn’t a year early, Danny Ric was likely thought of as a long member of Red Bull and when he left the only choice was Gasly who outclassed Hartley but Hartley would have struggled against Stroll as a teammate. Red Bull no doubt have some tough choices to make and I don’t have the answer but I wouldn’t promote anyone from Toro Rosso this year. I would put Pierre as a reserve and tempt Fernando Alonso with a half season contract at Spa. You can’t tell me he wouldn’t be on his private jet in a second with the chances of fighting at the front for at least another half season.

      1. Josh, same here. Fred in a Red Bull… Honda may not want to see his face ever again. So lets hope.

        1. Adam (@rocketpanda)
          28th July 2019, 20:31

          Honestly I think Honda are so upset with Alonso they’d quit before letting him drive one of their engines again.

          1. LOL,
            Honda: Sayonara RedBull!…maybe not as polite though.

      2. Honestly never thought he was that good. Seen many like him who eventually just fade away.
        Thing about him that annoys me the most this season is his lack of spirit. There is no aggression in attacking and none in defending. I understand that sometimes the car is not what you want it to be and because of that you lack confidence in the car but come on, he cant even pass the slowest cars. As a driver you also need to adapt to the car especially a hard to drive one. He just lacks the right mindset.
        Every pass he eventually makes is basically damage control because he lost it previous in the race.
        And he always gets passed so easily. Like at least manage to defend a few corners extra.
        Look at kvyat always in fighting spirit even if the car behind him is faster.

      3. I’d like sooooooo much to see alonso and verstappen at red bull, they complete each other.

        Great chassis, generally, with newey, now engine improving by the looks of it, great organization, a great driver, a horrible driver, fix the only problem!

    2. Its not arguably. Kvyat wasnt bad at all when he was demoted. He had pace, he was on the podium. They just needed to put Max in.
      Gasly is just slow this year, much like Kvyat was after demotion. I dont think Kvyat would want to jump into RB mid season, though.

      1. Spot on. People seem to forget that Kvyat actually outscored Ricciardo in their one season together (finished ahead of Riccardo 7-6 discounting DNF’s and DNS’s) and was on the podium one race before Red Bull axed him. Sure, their was a quali deficit (which actually makes Kvyats race results more impressive on paper, particularly as he had one less classified finish), but nothing like Gasly’s deficit to Verstappen.

        The demotion was all about getting Max in the car ASAP at any cost. Which, to be fair is understandable. They knew he was extra special and couldn’t risk losing him. Kvyat knew that all along, was under pressure and started to make some wild errors trying to go for glory and hold onto his seat.

        He wasn’t even that bad once demoted and demotivated, Sainz was a solid match for Verstappen and used to the car and yet towards the end of the season, Kvyat was outqualifying him more and more regularly. It only ended 9-6 to Sainz overall.

        If you look at what he did in the car v what Gasly did in the same car when he came in late season, the treatment he got looks even more harsh.

        Good driver, delighted for him. The season backstage at Ferrari seems to have worked wonders for him.

        1. I think RB should not change the line up until next year. See how Kyvat and Albon finish the year…and there is still a possibility Gasly will bounce back which he was doing in the qually for this race and last. Barring the unpredicatable events of this race I say give him until end of the year.

          1. Gasly isn’t bouncing back, he was never there.

  6. Am I the only one seeing the image and wondering why they are also celebrating Stroll before realizing it is for Toro Rorso?

    That was really a race for those making the fewer mistakes, well done Kvyat (Toro Rosso did very well as a team). How long can Gasly continue…?

    1. Josh (@canadianjosh)
      28th July 2019, 20:06

      I think without a doubt he’s going to be replaced before Spa. He’s on a top team and getting beaten regularly by midfield teams.

    2. I have no idea why you think the image has anything to do with Stroll… ?

      Unless it’s some kind of obscure joke, then I am sorry.

      1. @ho3n3r – the team abbreviation STR is also Stroll’s shortened name on the timing screens. Like @jeanrien, I too was momentarily thrown by seeing that on top of the pit board.

        1. Hence my question, everyone knows it’s Scuderia Toro Rosso. Not sure why someone would think that an STR celebration pitboard would have anything to do with Stroll.

    3. GtisBetter (@)
      28th July 2019, 21:12

      STR is scuderia torro rosso 😁

      1. GtisBetter (@)
        28th July 2019, 21:37

        Was for @ho3n3r

        1. Hence my question, everyone knows it’s Scuderia Toro Rosso. Not sure why someone would think that an STR celebration pitboard would have anything to do with Stroll.

  7. Josh (@canadianjosh)
    28th July 2019, 20:04

    Glad for him but the message I’m getting is he was extremely lucky. Bottas Ham, Danny Ric even know he was behind Kvyat, Hulk, Leclerc and Kimis issue was pretty lucky but hey, to get a podium you first must finish without mistakes and he did and they didn’t. Doesn’t change the way I think about him. He’s a little more mature now and his mistakes are fewer but my eyes haven’t been opened.

    1. The message you should be getting is he took the best place he could get, through ability. Its not luck. Him not making mistakes is not luck, its obviously ability. If he is able to avoid a mishap, while drivers you rate so much higher cannot, its ability, not luck. If he can advise his team of the best tire to be on in changing conditions, to improve his chances to reach said podium, thats ability, not luck. If he can make it to the podium, a place where every midfield driver wishes to just touch, while other more capable cars and drivers(so you say) are all failing to do due to error(no cars beside Ric’s ruined their race), its ability, not luck.

      If a Torro Rosso on the podium cannot open your eyes, then your eyes shouldn’t be considering working.

  8. I can smell a re-promotion…

  9. Time for the switch…

    1. Only if he can get mechanics from STR with him to RBR. Other way it pointless. That’s were Gasly problem is. And they do understand it. So starting from Silverstone Galsi is now only allowed to play around Verstappen settings.

  10. I don’t see any reason to keep Gasly in the other car. Verstappen will secure third in the constructors by himself, he’s scored more points in this half of the season than McLaren-Honda did in 3 years, and could even be on for 2nd in the drivers championship

    It’s worth the gamble promoting one of their Toro Rosso drivers who are hungry to prove themselves when they can’t sink any lower in the constructors and may fight for 2nd if both cars were delivering

  11. I do not think I ever saw a podium filled with three extremely happy drivers. Each with his own story and very deserved to be on the podium
    Ver with a brilliant drive, vet with a remarkable result and beating his younger teammate with patience and stamina, and kvyat with a very mature steady drive. All very happy and deserved Great to see!

    1. Yes, indeed, this was also remarked by the italian commentators, verstappen with a great race and win with a spin and 5 pit stops, vettel with a 18-places recovery and kvyat with a very very rare podium with a midfield car.

  12. Rbr should do a switch Gasly for Kvyat. Asap.

    1. that would be stupid

      1. Why would it be? Kvyat has pace, Gasly does not. I’d rather a driver with pace.

  13. After Hungary there will be 9 races. I think RBR should give Gasly, Kvyat and Albon three races each in the big team and let their performances decide who partners Max in 2020.

  14. Interesting that all three on the podium came form the same Red Bull seat.

    1. True, didn’t notice this, all of them have been in toro rosso early in their careers, kvyat is currently in a toro rosso for the 4th time or so, and all of those drivers have also driven for the main team.

      1. Its not just the same team, but the same side of the RB garage – Kvyat replaced Vettel, Max replaced Kvyat.

  15. I wonder if there is any stats on how many drivers managed to get on the podium and become a father on the same day. It seems like not too many, right? Isn’t it a reason to consider this podium a unique achievment/coincidence?

  16. Electroball76
    29th July 2019, 16:58

    Marko said Kvyat was more talented than Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly. I guess the good Doctor knows his stuff!

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