Breaking news
Formula 1
Gasly feels sorry for Kvyat over mid-season switch
Formula 1 debutant Pierre Gasly says he feels sympathy for Toro Rosso predecessor Daniil Kvyat.
Matt Beer
Edited: Sep 28, 2017, 11:23 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Reigning GP2 champion Gasly, a long-time Red Bull protege, has replaced Kvyat at Toro Rosso from this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix.
"Unfortunately that is how it works in this sport," said Gasly, who "didn't have the chance" to speak to Kvyat prior to Sepang.
"He has been in my position before he came to F1, he was waiting for his chance and then he had to take the seat of someone else.
"Of course I feel sorry for him, he is a really good driver and talented. Unfortunately it is happening that I am going to take his seat. I am pretty sure we will see him back on the grid at some point, maybe."
Gasly first learned of his F1 call-up by text message on Monday.
Toro Rosso has not specified how long he will be in the race seat, but it has a 2018 vacancy with Carlos Sainz moving to Renault.
"At the moment I don't know how many races I will do in F1, there is nothing confirmed," said Gasly.
"The team told me to focus on this weekend and try to do my best. F1 is brand new for me, it will be my first GP, but there is no real target."
Teammate Sainz, who beat Gasly to the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 title, expects him to be competitive immediately.
"He has done everything right to be here and I am also sure Red Bull would not put anyone in the car who is not capable of being on the pace straight away and scoring points and helping the team," said Sainz.
Asked if he felt sympathy for Kvyat, Sainz replied: "In the middle of the season, when you are so focused on your driving in 2017, you cannot be affected by what goes on in the other side of the garage."
Gasly becomes the third Frenchman on the F1 grid alongside Romain Grosjean and Esteban Ocon - both of whom also made their debuts via mid-season call-ups, with Renault in 2009 and Manor in 2016 respectively.
Grosjean said he hoped Toro Rosso gave Gasly more security than he received in what became a short first stint with Renault.
"I was told 'basically those few races you have till the end are learning races, you shouldn't be judged on that. Then you have winter and pre-season preparation and then you go into it'," Grosjean recalled.
"Unfortunately, it wasn't my case. It could have cost me my career. I believe that is what Toro Rosso is doing: preparing Pierre to come to a full season next year and be as ready as he can be from the beginning."
Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble and Lawrence Barretto
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Vettel: No need to further analyse Singapore GP crash
Next article Williams to run new spec Mercedes engine at Sepang
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Matt Beer
Ferrari drivers escape punishment for clash
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brazilian GP
Nov 17, 2019
Ferrari drivers escape punishment for clash
Hamilton accepts full responsibility for Albon collision
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brazilian GP
Nov 17, 2019
Hamilton accepts full responsibility for Albon collision
Vettel, Leclerc called to stewards over accident
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brazilian GP
Nov 17, 2019
Vettel, Leclerc called to stewards over accident
More from
Daniil Kvyat
Ex-F1 driver Daniil Kvyat impresses on Super GT debut with sixth place
Super GT
Super GT
Okayama
7 mo
Ex-F1 driver Daniil Kvyat impresses on Super GT debut with sixth place
Kvyat: Lamborghini can target WEC wins next year with car upgrades
WEC
WEC
Fuji
Oct 8, 2024
Kvyat: Lamborghini can target WEC wins next year with car upgrades
TGM held talks with Kvyat for 2024 Super Formula debut
Super Formula
Super Formula
Motegi
Sep 6, 2024
TGM held talks with Kvyat for 2024 Super Formula debut
More from
Racing Bulls
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
Formula 1 1 d
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Tsolov named Red Bull, Racing Bulls reserve driver after missing out on 2027 F1 race seat
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 d
Tsolov named Red Bull, Racing Bulls reserve driver after missing out on 2027 F1 race seat
Latest news
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 3 h
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 3 h
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
5 h
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
7 h
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe