A few days ago, news surfaced that former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat was contacted by Ferrari in 2016. The Italian team considered the Russian Red Bull driver as a replacement for Kimi Raikkonen.
Kvyat, however, rejected his offer and stayed with Red Bull. But a few races into the 2016 season, the Russian was relegated back to Toro Rosso. Red Bull replaced him with Max Verstappen for the 2016 Spanish GP, who secured a win in his debut for the team.
The move eventually sealed his career. After his last spell in F1 with AlphaTauri in 2020, the Russian currently races in NASCAR, Le Mans, and FIA’s World Endurance Championships.
🚨 | In 2016, Daniil Kvyat was offered a contract by Ferrari to replace Kimi Raikkönen. He chose to stay with Red Bull but was forced to go back to Toro Rosso a few months later.
“It was a very difficult situation for me mentally […]”
[via @tracklimits_pod]#F1 pic.twitter.com/ouWkmT6GCa
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) April 15, 2023
The $5 Million net worth racer claims he is over the heartbreak of declining the Ferrari offers. However, he has some words of advice for the Scuderia, who seem to be struggling.
Daniil Kvyat addresses Ferrari’s woeful start to the season
Ferrari seems to have lost their footing after a promising start to the 2022 season. Last year the team secured 2 wins in the first 3 races. Daniil Kvyat, too, believed this was the end to Ferrari’s 17-year-long wait for a drivers champion.
However, Max Verstappen denied the Italians any chance by securing the championship with 15 race wins. This season has started off worse. The Maranello-based outfit has only secured 26 points in the opening 3 races of the 2023 season.
2023 is Ferrari’s worst set of three season-opening F1 races since the team went pointless in the opening rounds of 2009 😬
Just 26 points have come the way of the Prancing Horse so far this year thanks to numerous issues ❌
When will the team turn things around? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/IlbZ4N5vVA
— Autosport (@autosport) April 6, 2023
Although Kvyat feels the team has a strong line-up, he doesn’t see them winning titles for a few more seasons. He said, “I thought it would go differently for them, given the good car they had in 2002. Given the way it is, I would say that it will be difficult for them to bounce back in the short term.”
What should Ferrari do?
Daniil Kvyat believes Ferrari needs to change their methods desperately. The team changed its team principal recently. However, that might not be enough to deliver Charles Leclerc a title anytime soon.
He advised, “Ferrari needs a technical revolution. The team has a new boss, but perhaps they should have hired engineers from other teams. They should have done exactly what Red Bull did with Mercedes or Aston Martin did with Red Bull.”
John Elkann announces major changes underway at Ferrari to strengthen the team.
“In-depth changes are underway in the Maranello enclosure, especially in the reinforcement of sports activity on the track. Benedetto Vigna is following the plan.” https://t.co/sdYEbJeqUf
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) April 17, 2023
Meanwhile, the Russian believes this season’s title is sealed. The Former Red Bull driver predicts Max Verstappen will comfortably secure a hattrick of titles this season.
He believes Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez is a strong driver. However, it’s impossible for the Mexican to beat the Dutchman. He said, “Everyone in the team definitely works for Verstappen.”
Kvyat also feels this season’s sensation, Fernando Alonso, has proven that Aston Martin are the dark horses. Nevertheless, it’s too early to talk about his third title or his much-anticipated 33rd-race win.
