Red Bull Academy refugee Daniil Kvyat has been confirmed as a development driver for Scuderia Ferrari.
The 23-year-old Russian parted ways with Scuderia Toro Rosso permanently after the United States Grand Prix last October and had been linked with the vacant seat at Williams Martini Racing – believed to be filled by Kvyat’s countryman Sergey Sirotkin.
With no viable options for a race seat in 2018, Kvyat has taken the decision to follow his former Toro Rosso team-mate Jean-Éric Vergne – who joined Ferrari in a testing role after losing his seat ahead of the 2015 season.
It is understood that Kvyat will work heavily with simulator work, with the possibility of test running – although that responsibility will likely stay with reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi.
Kvyat made his Formula 1 debut with Toro Rosso in 2014 at the age of 19, before securing promotion to Red Bull Racing‘s senior team in place of the Ferrari-bound Sebastian Vettel for 2015.
Having struggled with inconsistent form and numerous on-track altercations with other drivers – including Vettel – Kvyat found his drive taken by Max Verstappen for the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, moving back to Toro Rosso, where he failed to outpace Carlos Sainz Jr.
Red Bull junior and 2016 GP2 Series champion Pierre Gasly replaced Kvyat for last year’s Malaysian Grand Prix, with the Russian’s departure from the Red Bull programme announced after a final cameo appearance at the Circuit of the Americas – where he scored a point.
