Why did Daniil Kvyat make the difference at Red Bull?

Daniil Kvyat has been closely followed in the paddocks since he found himself battling Stoffel Vandoorne for the Eurocup Formula title Renault 2.0. The Russian had already highlighted himself the previous year by taking 3rd place in the Championship when he was a rookie. Despite his 7 victories won with Koiranen Motorsport, the Belgian finally won at the end of the 2012 season, but the resident of Red Bull Junior Team was able to convince by winning the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps the same year. The 2013 season was then decisive in his career. After carrying out convincing tests during the young driver tests at Silverstone, Daniil Kvyat had a superb end to the season by returning to the race for the GP3 Series title with 2 resounding successes at Spa and Monza signed with MW Arden. He also won in the strong peloton of the F3 European Championship against much more experienced competition. This success obtained at Zandvoort has perhaps definitely tipped the scales in its favor.

Red Bull seems to have made a bold choice by opting for this young driver aged only 19. But upon closer inspection, this decision actually seems rather wise. A year ago, Helmut Marko would have undoubtedly retained Antonio Felix da Costa. The Portuguese made headlines by adding the Macau F3 Grand Prix to his record while claiming 4 victories in 12 races for his debut in Formula Renault 3.5 Series. His other strong point was his extensive experience in car since he won the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC in 2009 while finishing 3rd in the Eurocup FR 2.0. However, the bellows fell again this year. While he was favorite for the title in the premier discipline of the World Series by Renault, the Arden Caterham resident found himself ousted from the fight for the coronation that Kevin Magnussen finally won against his rival Stoffel Vandoorne. With only 3 victories over the entire season, the results were considered insufficient for Dr Helmut Marko.

Antonio Félix da Costa aside, the list of contenders for the starting position at Toro Rosso was found to be considerably reduced. Tom Blomqvist, the son of Stig (1984 world champion in WRC) only started in single-seaters in 2009 and did not obtain the same results as Daniil Kvyat in the F3 European Championship (even if he still has 5 successes in German F3). Since Beitske Visser and Callan O'Keeffe did not fit into the equation, the last applicant was Carlos Sainz Jr. The arrival of the son of the double world rally champion would certainly have had media interest, but Daniil Kvyat's teammate in GP3 is not at the same level either. If the 2011 FR 2.0 NEC champion distinguished himself with several successes in British F3 last year, the Hispanic driver has been more behind this season, whether at MW Arden or in the FR 3.5 Series where he several appearances.