Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat is looking forward to the 2017 Formula 1 season finally starting, and cannot wait to get behind the wheel of the STR12 for some proper racing action.
Having failed to finish the race at his last two Australian Grand Prix outings, the Russian is hoping this year’s event will be more akin to his first ever F1 race in Melbourne in 2014, where he finished ninth and in the points.
“I’ve had two DNF’s the last two years in Australia, but I prefer to forget about that and only remember my debut there back in 2014, when I scored my first points for Toro Rosso.
“I’m excited to go back there again and to finally kick-off the season!”
Having trained hard over the winter for the extra physical demands on the drivers expected this year, Kvyat feels he is ready and at the peak of fitness ahead of the first round of the season.
“I’d say I get to the first race of the season fitter than ever. The preparation has been key this winter – it’s important every season, but this time even more because of the regulation change…
“So we’ve really put in a lot of time and effort to be physically and mentally fit for this new season.”
Melbourne is definitely a location where the Russian would love to spend more time, and were it not so far away from his family, the 22-year-old would even consider making a home there.
“I’ve visited Melbourne quite a few times because we always get there quite early in the week in order to avoid being jet-lagged. It’s a lovely city with a very cool lifestyle – I enjoy being a tourist and I wouldn’t mind living there!
“The only problem is that it’s a bit far away, I think I’d miss my family and I’m happy where I am now, in Monaco.
Kvyat’s main goal ahead of this weekend’s race however is to see a Kangaroo, an animal that has so far eluded him on his travels.
“I’ve never seen a kangaroo, I’d really like to see one this time. They are very funny to watch!”
What the 22-year-old loves more than anything when staying down under however, is the breakfasts, and he will be hoping to fill up on plenty of those throughout his latest stay in Australia.
“I remember really enjoying the breakfast’s in Australia! The hotel where we stay at is always amazing, so I get a big breakfast every morning that week!”
The Russian was only able to post the fourteenth fastest time of winter testing, in comparison to team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr, who was seventh quickest across the two weeks.
That difference was primarily down to having been plagued with more issues during the days the Russian was behind the wheel however, and so Kvyat is confident he will be able to equal the performance of the Spaniard during this weekend’s race.
