Kvyat talks to Rachel Brookes about his two-race absence and uncertain F1 future
Monday 30 October 2017 12:38, UK
Daniil Kvyat has told Sky F1 he has a "Plan B and Plan C" should he permanently lose his Toro Rosso seat at the end of the season.
The Russian driver has returned to the Red Bull team junior at this weekend's US GP after a two-race absence, but his prospects for 2018 remain uncertain.
He appears to be in a direct competition for a seat with Pierre Gasly, who replaced him in Malaysia and Japan, and now Brendon Hartley, who has been given his F1 debut in Austin following Carlos Sainz's early departure to Renault.
In an interview with Sky Sports F1 which aired in the channel's US GP Qualifying Show, Kvyat admits to pondering alternatives.
"If you're asking me if I have a Plan B or C, yeah I do have a few thoughts," he told Rachel Brookes.
"Formula 1 is not everything. There are other good opportunities in this life.
"I'm always going to be a racing driver and I always want to race. But there are always good places to be somewhere.
"For now, as long as I'm in here I will always try to keep on fighting to stay here as long as possible. But I also miss fighting for the wins and victories and to be honest I don't see how this can happen being here."
Kvyat has endured a tumultuous 18 months.
He lost his seat in the senior Red Bull team to Max Verstappen in May 2015 and was then heavily outscored by Sainz on his return to Toro Rosso, before being 'rested' for two races after crashing at September's Singapore GP.
Put to him that his situation with Red Bull was like an on-off relationship with a girlfriend, Kvyat admitted: "Once the relationship is broken it's very hard to fix it."
He declined to comment when asked if his relationship with Red Bull was 'broken'.
With just four points to his name so far this season, Kvyat's return in Austin is being viewed as a final chance to save his F1 career.
But the 23-year-old insists he does not feel under extra pressure and is aiming to deliver on the potential he believes he has shown in 2017.
"I don't feel it's going to be a massive pressure weekend," he said. "What can you do? Lap everyone and win the race by two laps?
"It's always been the question this year - you do a very good job, you fight in the points area and you have some problems, miss some details and you are just outside the points.
"I feel like this year was a year of good potential for me which, for one reason or another, has not been used to 100 per cent. So coming back here is still a good opportunity to maximise this potential."
