Kvyat: No decision from AlphaTauri on F1 future "a shame"
Daniil Kvyat says he is "a free agent now" as he waits on official word from AlphaTauri about his Formula 1 future, calling the lack of news "a shame"
Kvyat is expected to be replaced at AlphaTauri by Red Bull and Honda junior Yuki Tsunoda in 2021 after the Japanese driver finished third in this year's Formula 2 championship.
AlphaTauri has not made any official announcement about Kvyat's future, but the Russian driver has openly said he is already targeting a return to F1 in 2022.
Asked by Autosport in the Abu Dhabi paddock if he thought he had made his last appearance, Kvyat said he wanted to "vacation" and "then we'll see for 2022".
"I'll try to come back, because I feel like in the right ambience with the right people around me in the right car, which I like," Kvyat said.
"I can be extremely competitive, and I still feel like I have a lot to give. I am grateful of course for everything, for all these years.
"It was great, great stint, these last two years with the team. That is fantastic. They are amazing.
"But it's a shame that I am not even able to say if I'm there or not next year.
"It's a bit funny, I'm talking here with you. And they still kind of didn't give me the official news. That's about it."
Kvyat has raced for AlphaTauri for the past two seasons in what is his third separate stint with the team.
He made his debut with its predecessor, Toro Rosso, in 2014 before moving to Red Bull one season later, only to be sent back to Toro Rosso four races into the 2016 season.
He was then dropped completely by the Red Bull programme at the end of 2017, only to then return in 2019 with Toro Rosso.
Asked if he felt his time with Red Bull was finally over, Kvyat said: "You can never say never.
"Life teaches you to never say never to anything. But of course, I think we've been on off quite a long time now.
"I had a contract for these two years. That was the deal. That's it. And for the rest, ask Helmut [Marko]."
Kvyat clarified that he was "a free agent now" and was open to any options for 2021, but hinted he could take a year out of racing.
"I'm open to many ideas, I don't say no to anything right now," Kvyat said.
"Next year, I think racing-wise, perhaps I would like a year off. But we will see.
"If something really extremely good will come up, of course I'll think about saying yes.
"Otherwise, we'll try to focus us to come back to come back in Formula 1 in 2022."
Verstappen feared Imola F1 tyre failure repeat while leading Abu Dhabi GP
Vettel's final Ferrari race at F1's Abu Dhabi GP "an emotional day"
How Formula E factors could negate Red Bull's Jeddah practice gap to Mercedes
Mercedes led the way in practice for Formula 1’s first race in Jeddah, where Red Bull was off the pace on both single-lap and long runs. But, if Max Verstappen can reverse the results on Saturday, factors familiar in motorsport’s main electric single-seater category could be decisive in another close battle with Lewis Hamilton
Why Norris doesn’t expect Mr Nice Guy praise for much longer
Earning praise from rivals has been a welcome sign that Lando Norris is becoming established among Formula 1's elite. But the McLaren driver is confident that his team's upward curve can put him in the mix to contend for titles in the future, when he's hoping the compliments will be replaced by being deemed an equal adversary
What Ferrari still needs to improve to return to F1 title contention
After a disastrous 2020 in which it slumped to sixth in the F1 constructors' standings, Ferrari has rebounded strongly and is on course to finish third - despite regulations that forced it to carryover much of its forgettable SF1000 machine. Yet while it can be pleased with its improvement, there are still steps it must make if 2022 is to yield a return to winning ways
How F1 teams and personnel react in pressurised situations
OPINION: The pressure is firmly on Red Bull and Mercedes as Formula 1 2021 embarks on its final double-header. How the respective teams deal with that will be a crucial factor in deciding the outcome of the drivers' and constructors' championships, as Autosport's technical consultant and ex-McLaren F1 engineer explains
Why Ferrari is sure its long-term Leclerc investment will be vindicated
Humble yet blisteringly quick, Charles Leclerc is the driver Ferrari sees as its next world champion, and a rightful heir to the greats of Ferrari’s past – even though, by the team’s own admission, he’s not the finished article yet. Here's why it is confident that the 24-year-old can be the man to end a drought stretching back to 2008
The downside to F1's show and tell proposal
Technology lies at the heart of the F1 story and it fascinates fans, which is why the commercial rights holder plans to compel teams to show more of their ‘secrets’. STUART CODLING fears this will encourage techno-quackery…
How getting sacked gave Mercedes F1’s tech wizard lasting benefits
He’s had a hand in world championship-winning Formula 1 cars for Benetton, Renault and Mercedes, and was also a cog in the Schumacher-Ferrari axis. Having recently ‘moved upstairs’ as Mercedes chief technical officer, James Allison tells STUART CODLING about his career path and why being axed by Benetton was one of the best things that ever happened to him
The remarkable qualities that propelled Kubica’s F1 comeback
It’s easy to look at Robert Kubica’s second Formula 1 career and feel a sense of sadness that he didn’t reach the heights for which he seemed destined. But as BEN ANDERSON discovered, performance and results are almost meaningless in this context – something more fundamental and incredible happened…