Ferrari names Kvyat as F1 development driver

Daniil Kvyat has been named as a Ferrari development driver in Formula 1 having left the Red Bull fold at the end of 2017.

The Russian driver has endured a tough couple of years in F1 having been demoted from the Red Bull Racing squad to Toro Rosso with Max Verstappen heading in the other direction midway through 2016. After an underwhelming 2017 season being outperformed by Carlos Sainz Jr he was dropped by the Italian squad after crashing out of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Kvyat enjoyed a one-race reprieve for the United States Grand Prix at Toro Rosso before it was confirmed the 23-year-old would leave the Red Bull programme before the end of the season.

Kyvat has become the first Ferrari F1 development driver confirmed for 2018 and will work underneath full time drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. Last year Antonio Giovinazzi and Charles Leclerc acted as Ferrari's reserve drivers but with Leclerc securing a full-time F1 drive with the rebranded Alfa Romeo Sauber squad, Kvyat has been added as cover having become unattached to Red Bull over the winter.

The Russian driver would be an experienced replacement at Ferrari if Vettel or Raikkonen were unable to race in 2018 with 72 F1 race starts to his name having made his debut back in 2014. Kvyat became Vettel's replacement at Red Bull when the four-time F1 world champion left for Ferrari in 2015 and has two podium finishes to his name.

Daniil Kvyat to become Scuderia Ferrari’s development driver pic.twitter.com/yvTwQHaTOh

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 10, 2018