Axed Red Bull driver opens up on ‘conversations’ about possible F1 return

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Red Bull have torn through plenty of drivers since buying the Jaguar Formula 1 team from Ford back in 2004 and one they axed has now opened up on his talks to return.

The number of drivers to fall off the grid thanks to Red Bull is also much higher owing to the energy drink giant also buying Minardi in 2005 to create a junior team, Toro Rosso. Since the outfit got renamed in 2005, they became AlphaTauri in 2020 and Visa Cash App RB for 2024.

In total, 12 drivers have raced for Red Bull starting with David Coulthard, Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi in 2005 up to Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez today. A total of 17 drivers have also yet passed through Faenza, up to today with Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson at RB.

Red Bull flop Daniil Kvyat reveals his ‘conversations’ to return to Formula 1

Daniil Kvyat is in very rare territory for an F1 driver having debuted with Toro Rosso, stepped up to the main Red Bull squad, returned to the junior team, fallen off the grid, returned with Toro Rosso again and driven for AlphaTauri. He only ever raced in F1 for the Red Bull family.

The 30-year-old did go on to work as a reserve driver for Ferrari in 2018 and later for Alpine in 2021. But Kvyat has never returned to Formula 1 since finishing in 11th place at the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for AlphaTauri despite the Russian holding talks with teams for a seat.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links

Kvyat, who has raced under an Italian licence since 2023 and with Lamborghini in the World Endurance Championship since 2024, admits his talks with Formula 1 teams never resulted in anything substantial. So, with a Hypercar class drive, Kvyat thinks less about an F1 return.

“That’s hard for me to say,” Kvyat told Formule1. “I know my worth and qualities as a driver. If I was given the chance, I would do well and perform strongly, I am convinced of that.

“But Formula 1 is a small world with only 20 seats available and there is a lot of politics involved in the distribution of those. All the conversations I have had about a possible return to Formula 1 have led nowhere. So, to be honest, I think about it less and less.”

Daniil Kvyat has one point-scoring finish in WEC for Lamborghini

Kvyat joined Lamborghini ahead of the Italian brand’s debut season in WEC’s Hypercar class this term. But it has not been a fruitful relationship so far, with the 30-year-old’s No63 SC63 – also driven by Mirko Bortolotti and Edoardo Mortara – taking just one top-10 result so far.

The No63 crew ended the 24 Hours of Le Mans 10th overall as Kvyat stepped up to the top tier of WEC after driving in LMP2 for PREMA in 2023. With one round of the 2024 season to go in Bahrain, Kvyat will hope his time at Lamborghini deals more success than he had in F1.

Red Bull promoted Kvyat from Toro Rosso for the 2015 season after Sebastian Vettel quit to join Ferrari. But the Russian struggled to match what Daniel Ricciardo delivered and a string of big crashes, ultimately, saw Verstappen replace Kvyat from the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.

While Kvyat believes he could have become a Formula 1 champion if Red Bull gave him more help, the Ufa, Bashkortostan native only ever recorded three podium finishes – of which one was for Toro Rosso at the 2019 German Grand Prix – and one fastest lap in 112 race entries.