Red Bull Racing has confirmed that Max Verstappen will replace its current driver Daniil Kvyat with immediate effect.
It means the Dutch youngster will be racing alongside Daniel Ricciardo at the next race on the 2016 Formula One calendar, the Spanish Grand Prix.
Daniil Kvyat
Kvyat, also one of the youngest drivers on the grid, will still be racing. The Russian will fill Verstappen’s seat at Toro Rosso, the Red Bull feeder team in which he made his F1 debut back in 2014. Also at Toro Rosso is Carlos Sainz.
“Max has proven to be an outstanding young talent,” Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner said in a statement. “His performance at Toro Rosso has been impressive so far and we are pleased to give him the opportunity to drive for Red Bull Racing.”
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Horner didn’t state why the drivers were switched but hinted at unsatisfactory performance from Kvyat with the comment, “[Daniil] will be able to continue his development at Toro Rosso, in a team that he is familiar with, giving him the chance to regain his form and show his potential.”
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Of course, the move comes just days after Kvyat twice hit Sebastian Vettel’s car during the start of this year's Russian Grand Prix, ending the race for the Ferrari [NYSE:RACE] driver. Kvyat has been heavily criticized for the action, including by Horner.
Verstappen, whose own driving has been criticized in the past, has already proven to be a talented driver in his short career. Recall, he twice managed to come close to scoring a podium finish in his debut with Toro Rosso last year.
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