Paul Jeffrey
Premium
The sense of unease growing within the Toro Rosso team continues to bubble post British Grand Prix, with both drivers laying the blame squarely with each other following yet another class between the Italian cars.
In a frantic opening lap exchange between the two Red Bull backed junior drivers, Russian Kvyat found himself overtaken by his team mate on entry to the super fast Copse corner, leading Sainz to run out wider than would be ideal and lose momentum into the quick left, right, left, right section of Maggots and Becketts. Running up alongside his team rival, it would appear that Kvyat lost control of the rear of his Renault powered Toro Rosso, with the resulting correction causing his car to run out and make content with the sister machine on the outside of the corner.
Unfortunately damage would force Sainz to spin out onto the asphalt run off area and into retirement, with his team mate Kvyat continuing to limp round the circuit in a clearly hobbled car, before eventually receiving a drive through penalty and finishing a distant 15th place.
After the race Sainz would be understandably disappointed in his early retirement, blaming his team mate for yet another unforced opening lap accident, again with damage to both team cars.
"It is very clear on the cameras what happened," commented Sainz. "We were battling for position, giving each other space, then one car loses control and collides with the other no?
"A shame for sure, not good for the team, but it is a discussion and analysis that will stay in between us. It's something we need to talk in between us."
"A shame for sure, not good for the team, but it is a discussion and analysis that will stay in between us. It's something we need to talk in between us."
As is often the way with competitive racing drivers, Sainz view was not shared by his rival and team mate Kvyat, with the young Russian believing blame lay at the door of the other Toro Rosso driver:
"The frustration is that I overtook around Turn 11 - and then obviously you get to the dirty line and the understeer," Kvyat said.
"The car comes with such a massive speed and since you have the understeer and your team mate just doesn't see you and comes across just like that, you crash.
"My frustration is because of the penalty – [the] stewards say you race you race and then this thing happens. My race is damaged, his race is damaged, and they penalise me. I don't know what they are looking for there."
"My frustration is because of the penalty – [the] stewards say you race you race and then this thing happens. My race is damaged, his race is damaged, and they penalise me. I don't know what they are looking for there."
It is widely believed that Sainz Jnr is looking for a move away from Toro Rosso and Red Bull for next season, as the talented Spaniard looks to progress up the Formula One grid and fight for race victories and an eventual championship challenge. Sadly for Sainz, a move to the main Red Bull outfit seems unlikely in the immediate future, with both Daniel Ricciardo and Dutch superstar Max Verstappen, who played his part in demoting Kvyat from the main team in 2016, firmly tied up by the Austrian team.
Kvyat himself continues to hang on to his Formula One career by the thinnest of margins, and with yet another inter team accident behind the under pressure driver, the Russian must be feeling the heat. His performances in what is a reasonably competitive car this season have not gone unnoticed by another ex Grand Prix driver, with 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve calling out the 23-year-old as "embarrassing", and claiming Toro Rosso should drop the driver for a few races this season...
"I'm not sure what Kvyat is trying to do," said the controversial Canadian to Motorsport.com. "Do you know what the worst aspect of it is? He then comes on the radio trying to put the blame on his teammate, thinking no one has seen it.
"That shows a bad attitude. He deserves to stay home. It has become embarrassing. He got sideways when he got back in the next corner and if Sainz had not been there, he would have gone off anyway.
"He should be left home for a bit so he can think about it because it's not the first weekend he's been a bit over the top. Maybe F1 is too fast for him, I don't know."
Villeneuve has never been one to mince his words, and the former Williams, BAR and Sauber driver has been unimpressed from what he has seen during Kvyat's stay in Grand Prix racing, going on to claim that the youngster has failed to learn from past mistakes, and is fast running out of opportunities to prove his worth in Grand Prix racing."That shows a bad attitude. He deserves to stay home. It has become embarrassing. He got sideways when he got back in the next corner and if Sainz had not been there, he would have gone off anyway.
"He should be left home for a bit so he can think about it because it's not the first weekend he's been a bit over the top. Maybe F1 is too fast for him, I don't know."
"If you keep pointing the finger, then you never learn," he said. "You should always blame yourself, even when it's not - that's the only way you can make yourself better.
"When it's clearly 100 percent your fault, and by a huge margin, the attitude of trying to put the blame on someone else makes it pathetic.
"Normally drivers don't even get a second chance - he's had plenty and he doesn't seem to learn".
With a highly motivated and by all accounts exceptionally talented Pierre Gasly waiting in the Red Bull wings for his shot at the big time in Formula One, Daniil Kvyat will have to up his game, and quickly, if he is to remain a Toro Rosso driver beyond the end of the current season."When it's clearly 100 percent your fault, and by a huge margin, the attitude of trying to put the blame on someone else makes it pathetic.
"Normally drivers don't even get a second chance - he's had plenty and he doesn't seem to learn".
For more from the world of Formula One racing, check out our Formula One sub forum and involve yourself with the community today!
Do you think Sainz or Kvyat were to blame for the contact at Silverstone on Sunday? Can Kvyat turn around his recent form and establish himself in Grand Prix racing? Let us know in the comments section below!
Last edited:
