After a troubled start to the season with many doubters questioning the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team’s decision to promote him to the second seat within the team, Daniil Kvyat is starting to put a run of results together that is silencing those doubters.
Kvyat finished fourth in Monaco and then followed that up with a ninth place in Canada, although that was the best he could have hoped for with the speed deficit of the Renault power unit compared to other teams.
Kvyat has fond memories of this weekends Austrian Grand Prix venue of the Red Bull Ring, having taken a triple podium finish as a wildcard driver in European Formula 3 in 2013 and race wins in Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS the previous year.
“First of all, I really enjoy the track; it’s a really good circuit,” said Kvyat. “I already knew the track well as I had raced there before in junior series, so I was really looking forward to going back.
“I raced there in Formula Renault and also in Formula 3. It’s great fun to drive. Actually, I think one of the best circuits on the calendar. It’s fast, it flows well, the lap is pretty busy. It’s a good circuit and I have good memories of it.”
From a media point of view, Kvyat is aiming to put all the pressure from racing in Red Bull’s home race to the back of his mind and just concentrate on his driving as he looks to take his fifth consecutive top ten finish of the season.
“I was at Toro Rosso last year so we didn’t have too much pressure from a media point of view, certainly not as much as the Red Bull Racing guys, so it was pretty easy from my point of view,” said Kvyat.
“But it’s a good atmosphere and the team’s home race is obviously important. However, I don’t think you can let it distract you. It’s just racing in the end and I’ll try to enjoy the weekend as much as possible.”
