Tost backs Kvyat to regain best form at Toro Rosso in 2019

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost is confident Daniil Kvyat will rediscover his best form during the 2019 Formula 1 season. 

Kvyat has returned to the F1 grid in 2019 in place of Pierre Gasly, who has been promoted to Red Bull to fill the void left by Daniel Ricciardo following his shock switch to Renault. 

The 24-year-old stepped up to Red Bull in 2015 after just a single full-season in the sport, before being demoted back to Toro Rosso just four races into 2016. 

Kvyat ultimately lost his seat at the Faenza squad towards the end of 2017 following a poor run of form and Tost feels his return is deserved after “living through a difficult time”. 

“Daniil Kvyat will do a good job,” Tost said. “If the car is running well, as we expect, then he will also do a good job.”

“We all now that Daniil Kvyat is a very high skilled driver, and he showed this in the past. He won the GP3 European championship and then in 2014 when he was racing the first year with us he also showed there a very good performance. 

“Then he came to Red Bull Racing, and I think everything was a little bit too fast. 

“He came then back to us, and there were so problems with our car in those days, we were not so competitive, then he was one year at Ferrari in the simulator, where he got the chance to learn a lot, to get more matured, and he is now back.

“He is more mature, of course he is also more relaxed. And once more if the car package is good, he will be there.”

Kvyat was the surprise leader on the third day of running as he posted the fastest time of pre-season testing so far to end Wednesday quickest.

The Russian said he was encouraged by the early signs from Toro Rosso’s new STR14 F1 car, though he conceded he was not “balls out” on his headline-grabbing lap. 

“I would like to say it does feel good, it feels to my liking so far, every time I’m out there,” Kvyat added.

“I pretty much know what it’s going to do for me so it’s a nice feeling so far. 

“Of course, it’s early days but the better the start, it’s always welcome. We plan to keep improving and keep working on the car.”