Daniil Kvyat is a Russian racing driver who competed in F1 from 2014 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2020. Kvyat was the second Russian to drive in Formula One and is the most successful of the four Russian drivers who have participated to date, boasting three podium finishes.
Kvyat’s journey to F1 began early in his career. In 2012, he secured the runner-up position in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Series. That same year, he won the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps Series. His winning streak continued into 2013 when he emerged as the champion of the GP3 Series. These wins paved his way to Formula One, where he made his debut in 2014 as a driver for Toro Rosso, finishing a respectable 15th in the Drivers’ World Championship.
In 2015, Kvyat was promoted to the parent team, Red Bull Racing, to drive alongside Daniel Ricciardo. In his debut year with the team, he made his first F1 podium appearance, securing second place at the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix, just behind Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari. His 2015 season with Red Bull Racing resulted in a 7th-place finish in the Drivers’ Championship while outperforming his teammate, Ricciardo.
Kvyat’s momentum continued into the 2016 season with Red Bull Racing, where he earned his second podium by finishing third at the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix. However, his season took a downturn following a controversial collision at the 2016 Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, leading to his demotion back to Toro Rosso ahead of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. Despite this setback, Kvyat showcased consistent qualifying performances throughout 2017. Unfortunately, his season included multiple retirements that cost him potential points. By the end of the season, his contract wasn’t renewed, and he drove his final race at the 2017 United States Grand Prix.
In 2018, Kvyat joined Scuderia Ferrari as a development driver, keeping his foot in the floor of F1. He was rewarded by re-signing with the Red Bull family and Toro Rosso during the 2019 season. At the 2019 German Grand Prix, Kvyat clinched his third career podium, finishing third and helping Toro Rosso achieve a second podium finish since their 2008 Italian Grand Prix victory with Sebastian Vettel.
At the end of the 2020 season, Kvyat’s contract was not renewed, and Yuki Tsunoda replaced him at the renamed AlphaTauri for the 2021 season.
Following his time in Formula 1, Kvyat became a reserve driver for one final season with the Alpine team in 2021, sharing the role with Zhou Guanyu. Since leaving the F1 grid, he has raced in FIA World Endurance Championship and NASCAR.
Daniil Kvyat Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 2014–2017, 2019–2020 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Toro Rosso, Red Bull, AlphaTauri |
| Engines | Renault, TAG Heuer, Ferrari, Toro Rosso, Honda |
| Car number | 26 |
| Entries | 112 (110 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 3 |
| Career points | 202 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| First entry | 2014 Australian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
