Breaking news
Formula 1
Kvyat says Toro Rosso development slower than expected
Toro Rosso's development of its Formula 1 car has not been "as fast as expected", its driver Daniil Kvyat has admitted.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: Aug 30, 2017, 4:52 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Red Bull junior team has scored 40 points this season, although 29 of those were notched in the opening six grands prix and only 11 in the six since.
In that time it has slipped from fifth in the constructors' championship to sixth, behind Williams, and has been outqualified by the improving Renault and McLaren – and Haas – in recent grands prix.
Asked by Motorsport.com how he felt about the second half of the season and Toro Rosso's development prospects, Kvyat replied: "To be completely honest it hasn't been as fast as expected, our development.
"We are lacking a little bit in that respect. I remember being an easy Q3 car in the beginning, the first few races, and now it's quite hard.
"Qualifying is very important this year, so we need more. The guys know what to do and other tracks which are a lot more favourable to us are coming anyway."
Kvyat's teammate Carlos Sainz says Toro Rosso is being outgunned by operations with bigger budgets.
"I don't think it's fair for my team to be compared to a manufacturer like Renault," said Sainz when asked by Motorsport.com if Toro Rosso was losing development direction.
"Renault was also going to improve the way they are improving. If we compare ourselves to Force India for example, in places like Hungary where the engine is not so important we had the better of them.
"What I can see here on the data they are not faster than us through the corners. McLaren and Renault are the ones who are bringing loads of downforce into their cars and making the difference in the corners compared to us."
Renault introduced a new floor for the British Grand Prix, which Sainz said meant "all of a sudden this half a second [gap] appeared".
Sainz believes Renault and McLaren will edge clear but reckons Haas and Force India, which both beat Toro Rosso at Spa, can be matched.
Asked if he feared his season petering out like 2016, Sainz replied: "I don't know. I tend to think that from now onwards, McLaren and Renault are likely to be ahead of us in qualifying.
"Especially when we go to tracks less engine-dependent, McLaren will take a big step forward. Renault is half a second in front, but on the other hand Force India, Haas we can control them.
"Force India scored a lot of points at the start of the season so they are out of reach in terms of points, but not pace. We have still an upgrade to come, so hopefully this will help us."
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 Tech analysis: Red Bull's downforce compromise yields Spa result
Next article "What the *** is he doing?! ***** you idiot!" The best radio of Belgium
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Daniil Kvyat
Ex-F1 driver Daniil Kvyat impresses on Super GT debut with sixth place
Super GT
Super GT
Okayama
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
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
TGM held talks with Kvyat for 2024 Super Formula debut
More from
Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson rues Brazilian GP qualifying mistake despite third-place grid start
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
Liam Lawson rues Brazilian GP qualifying mistake despite third-place grid start
Racing Bulls promises "right decision" as Liam Lawson's F1 future remains in doubt
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
Racing Bulls promises "right decision" as Liam Lawson's F1 future remains in doubt
Latest news
Final NASCAR Cup points standings after 2026 Homestead finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
11 min
Final NASCAR Cup points standings after 2026 Homestead finale
Official race results: NASCAR Cup Homestead season finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
43 min
Official race results: NASCAR Cup Homestead season finale
Ryan Blaney wins Homestead NASCAR Cup finale as Kyle Larson claims 2026 title
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
57 min
Ryan Blaney wins Homestead NASCAR Cup finale as Kyle Larson claims 2026 title
Winners and losers from F1's chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Winners and losers from F1's chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix
Feature
Discover prime content
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Formula 1
By Pat Symonds
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
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