Russian replaces Ferrari-bound Sebastian Vettel in 2015
Tuesday 27 January 2015 18:05, UK
Daniil Kvyat is confident he can deliver for Red Bull immediately after his promotion to the senior team, despite just a solitary season at Toro Rosso.
Kvyat emerged as a surprise contender to fill the vacancy left by Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull's junior team after scintillating pace in the second half of the 2013 GP3 Series saw him clinch the title.
“Last year when they signed me to F1 there were a lot of stupid talks going on and I wanted to show good pace straight away and I think I managed that,” Kvyat said.
“So now I can focus on the right things at Red Bull and that helps a lot as last year went good and now I am just focussed on bringing the best result possible.”
Far from being in awe of his sudden rise to one of F1’s top teams, Kvyat insists he will approach 2015 in the same way as he did at Toro Rosso, where he became the youngest ever points scorer in F1 with a ninth-place finish in Australia. He hopes that strategy will see him impress immediately once more.
“That is what you should always aim for because we are competing on the highest level possible and there cannot be any other choice,” he said. “You just have to keep working hard, put it all together and hopefully it brings some good things in the future.
“I will keep doing what I have been doing in the past, there will be a few tweaks as you have to adjust to the team and get used to the team and bring all of yourself.”
While not a fan of the simulator for testing, Kvyat says it has been useful to help build up a rapport with his new engineer.
“I think it is very good for the team to have it and it is helping me to build up the relationship with the engineer and the team. It is a simulator for track work, but nothing can really replace it," he said.
"As a driver you love the feeling of the speed, the little bit of danger, the little bit of how a tyre could give up at any moment, but of course in the simulator you don’t have that. While I am there my approach is professional, it is like a proper work day, but as a driver you want to have something real in your hands."
The Sky Sports F1 Online team will be providing live commentary of all three winter tests, starting in Jerez on February 1, with live updates from trackside also on Sky Sports News HQ.
