Red Bull swap Kvyat for Toro Rosso’s Verstappen - Russian driver is demoted after race crash
Published by Christine
Daniil Kvyat may have thought the sanction for his double Vettel crash on the first lap of the Russian Grand Prix was a ten second stop/go penalty, but the Red Bull driver is facing an even harsher sentence. The team have confirmed they are swapping Kvyat for Max Verstappen, promoting the young Dutch driver up from Toro Rosso and effectively demoting Kvyat to the B team.
There were rumblings that this is a move that could take place at some point, although most thought it would be next year. Instead, Red Bull have committed to the swap now, playing up the angle that all four drivers are under long term contracts so they have the “flexibility” to move them around. Christian Horner said: “Dany will be able to continue his development at Toro Rosso, in a team that he is familiar with, giving him the chance to regain his form and show his potential.”
Verstappen has shown signs of greatness in his short career so far but there’s no doubting it’s a harsh move for Kvyat. Even Jenson Button tweeted: “Really? One bad race and Kvyat’s dropped? What about the podium in the previous race?”
