The surprise resurrection of a stalled F1 career

Unceremoniously dropped by Toro Rosso in 2017, Daniil Kvyat seemed to be heading into the career wilderness when he spent last season as a Ferrari simulator driver.

That was until he made a shock return to Toro Rosso and, in Germany, stood on an F1 podium once again.

But it hasn't been a season of unvarnished success: he was overlooked for promotion to Red Bull again when a vacancy arose mid-season in 2019...

F1 Racing: It's been an eventful summer for you, becoming a father and getting a podium in Germany. How did it feel?

Daniil Kvyat: It was the first podium in 11 years for the team, so it was a fantastic achievement and we were all very happy - every member of the team. When I crossed the finish line it was a very special feeling.

Personally, it wasn't easy for me to lose my seat in F1 and I thought there was no way back in for me. But since I got the call to return it's been important to be better mentally prepared. All this work is now paying off and I'm happy with the people and team around me - hopefully we can keep this going.

F1R: In your year out, how did you find it being simulator driver for Ferrari?

DK: At the end of 2017 I wanted to take a break from racing. I had a good connection with some people at Ferrari, because in some ways I feel Italian, as I lived in Rome for a long time. They needed someone with experience to use their simulator and I was ready to give my full dedication to them for the whole year. I was grateful they found this job for me and it was a cool experience to see that legendary team from the inside.

For me, growing up watching Michael Schumacher winning races is what gave me the bug for racing and so it was amazing to be there. I even tried a car at Fiorano for a Pirelli test, so it was incredible to drive a current Ferrari. Then it came to the point, last summer, where I was desperate to come back to racing and started looking for an F1 seat.

F1R: How did it feel to be back on the grid? Did you feel mentally recharged and refreshed for this season?

DK: I remember flying to the Abu Dhabi test at the end of last year and it felt like Christmas again. I managed to get back my love and passion for this sport.

That was really important because I hadn't felt that for a while and when you don't have that you can't perform well. Now finally I have it again and when I come to the races I have this feeling that it will be great fun to drive one of the fastest cars in the world.

F1R: Has your mindset changed? You've been through the heartbreak of rejection, so do you go about your work less worried about that happening again?

DK: Yes, in a way. But I still really care and want to do really well every time I hit the track, but in a way the experience has changed me and in a very positive way. It is necessary, sometimes, to go through this to get back the fire.

On the negative side, I'd been out of the cockpit for a long time, so at the beginning of the year everything felt a bit new. All-in-all it has been a positive journey and I'm happy with how things have turned out in the end.

F1R: What were your feelings about Alex Albon being promoted to Red Bull mid-season rather than you?

DK: I understand. I guess they have their reasons, that's for sure. I think my year has been very strong but I assume they want to try Alex in a competitive car to find someone who can match Max.

It won't be an easy task in the remaining races of the year to jump in and straight away match Max, but nevertheless the decision was Red Bull's and I have to respect it and accept it. And the future - we will see.

F1R: Have you any idea when your future will be decided?

DK: Some years it is decided quickly, other years it takes a bit of time. At the moment, I'm not even aware of what the market is doing right now. There can always be some surprises, who knows? We need to be patient, but not leave it too late either.

At the moment I don't see any alarms because the season is going well. Sometimes you just wait and see what happens around you and then you take what is the best for you.

I'm thankful that Red Bull took me back and for what they have done for my career in general. We will obviously speak first with them and then see what direction they can offer me.

F1R: This is your first time working with Honda. How impressed have you been?

DK: They are having an amazing campaign. There is always room for improvement and at certain times they are maybe a little behind the top two, but they work hard.

They are closer than they were but the margins are so small that every tenth counts. In race trim we are definitely there. At Silverstone I overtook both Mercedes and Ferrari-powered cars with no issues.

In the end it doesn't matter how you work or how you think, what's important is the stopwatch. Even with more things to come from Honda, the future for them is looking really good.