Red Bull's 2015 Formula 1 Season Preview

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Comparing the 2015 teammates: Red Bull

So now it's time to compare the Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat.

I'll start with the Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo.

He started racing in F1 back in 2011 with Hispania Racing Team (HRT) but moved to Toro Rosso the following year. After driving for Toro Rosso for two years he got a seat at Red Bull. It went very well for him at Red Bull!

Let's see how he has done against his teammates.

2011 - Vitantonio Liuzzi and Narain Karthikeyan. Ricciardo drove with Karthikeyan in one race and lost. Liuzzi and Ricciardo drove together in 10 races and the situation between them was 6-3 (one point is missing because neither one of them got a result in Italy). I could say that Ricciardo was the best at Hispania. Hispania or HRT never got a single point in the series.

2012 - Jean-Eric Vergne. Ricciardo lost to his teammate with 6 points (16-10).

2013 - Jean-Eric Vergne. Ricciardo won 20-13 in points and was 3 times more ahead of him in the races.

2014 - Sebastian Vettel. This was a shocking year for many! Daniel Ricciardo beat the 4 time world champion in wins, podiums and points. Vettel won no races at all and Ricciardo won three! The points were 238-167 so Ricciardo was clearly better in 2014.

Daniil Kvyat has only had one teammate in Formula One but let's still see what happened there.

2014 - Jean-Eric Vergne. He lost in points 22-8 to his more experienced teammate but still got a seat at Red Bull for 2015. This was a bit strange. Why isn't Jean-Eric Vergne getting any respect from Red Bull? He even beat Ricciardo in 2012! But all in all even though Kvyat lost to his teammate he drove very well and is probably going to improve a lot in 2015. If not then he hasn't got much time left in F1. If they give you 2 seasons and don't get the job done then it's bye bye.

Vettel to leave Red Bull after 2014; Kvyat to be promoted

Sebastian Vettel will leave Red Bull at the end of the 2014 season, the team has confirmed.

The German joined the Milton Keynes-based squad ahead of the 2009 season and the combination has been the dominant force in Formula One ever since, with Vettel claiming four consecutive world championship crowns, 38 Grand Prix victories, and 44 poles over the past six seasons.

Red Bull also confirmed that Daniil Kvyat, who has impressed for sister team Toro Rosso during his rookie season this year, will be promoted to the main team alongside Daniel Ricciardo in 2015.

"Sebastian Vettel has advised us that he will be leaving Infiniti Red Bull Racing at the end of the 2014 season," a statement from Red Bull read.

“We want to warmly thank Sebastian for the incredible role he has played at Infiniti Red Bull Racing for the last six years.

"As we wish Sebastian well in the next stage of his career, we also look to the future with excitement, as the vacancy makes way for the next generation of Red Bull racers. 

"The Red Bull Junior Programme has developed some proven talents in recent times, including Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, who has excelled in the RB10 and become a three-time Formula One race winner in his first season with the team. 

"We're pleased to announce that Daniel will be joined in the team for 2015 by another rising star from the Junior Programme, Daniil Kvyat."

Vettel is expected to announce his future plans shortly.

His departure has massive significance in terms of the driver market. The 27-year-old has been widely tipped to move to Ferrari, with Fernando Alonso strongly linked with a switch back to McLaren, alongside either Jenson Button or Kevin Magnussen.

Kvyat's promotion meanwhile means a seat will open up at Toro Rosso next year. Rookie Max Verstappen is already confirmed with the team for 2015.

(source: f1.com)

Kvyat honoured by Sochi circuit

Organisers of the 2014 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix have revealed that a grandstand at Sochi Autodrom will be renamed in Daniil Kvyat's honour for his country’s inaugural race later this year.

The announcement was made as Toro Rosso racer Kvyat attended the Sochi Autodrom exhibition at the Moscow International Automobile Salon.

"I was amazed to learn there will be a grandstand bearing my name at the Sochi Autodrom - usually, this is an honour reserved for drivers who have retired, so it is both surprising and a great privilege," said the 20-year-old rookie. 

The Turn 4 grandstand in question is situated on the inside of the 5.853-kilometre circuit, and offers views of the first section of the track, running from the Turn 2 right-hander through Turns 3, 4 and 5.

"I hope that the spectators will enjoy the fantastic view and have a wonderful time over the weekend of the first ever Russian Grand Prix,” added Kvyat. “It will be a historic time for Formula One and for Russia and I can't wait to race in front of my home crowd."

Kvyat became only the second Russian to compete in Formula One racing earlier this year when he made his debut in Australia, scoring his first points with ninth place. He has since claimed top-10 results in Malaysia, China, Great Britain and Belgium, and is currently 15th in the drivers' championship.

Toro Rosso have already confirmed he will retain his drive in 2015, when he will be partnered by Dutch newcomer Max Verstappen.

(source: f1.com)

Helmut Marko: Verstappen has all the ingredients of a champion

Max Verstappen has all the qualities needed to be a future Formula One world champion, according to Red Bull's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko.

Toro Rosso announced on Monday that Verstappen, newly recruited by the Red Bull Junior Team, will drive alongside Daniil Kvyat from the start of the 2015 season.

Though the Dutchman will have just one year of single-seater experience to draw upon, Marko says Red Bull are convinced there is no risk, given what the 16-year-old has already proved capable of.

"I think he has unbelievable speed," Marko told Red Bull. "For his age he is very mature, and he is a hard worker. He has all the necessary ingredients you need to be absolute champion.

"It was a surprise how quickly he adapted to Formula Three. The moment I thought [he was] something really special was at the Norisring. In mixed conditions - it was more wet than dry - he was per lap two seconds and more faster than anyone else.

"He will be 17 when he has his first race, which is pretty young, but I don't think it is a risk. He proved in various races that he can use his head. I had quite a few conversations with him and there you see how mature he is. 

"Toro Rosso is well known for educating and training young drivers, so he comes into [that] environment, and with all the possibilities which are around the Red Bull family - I think he'll go into the season well prepared. We can't see any risk doing it like that."

Verstappen, son of Formula One veteran Jos, admitted his deal with Toro Rosso - which will make him the youngest F1 driver in history - has yet to sink in, but insists he is ready for the challenge.

"I couldn't believe it in the beginning but I'm really, really happy at the moment," he said.

"It happened so fast, in one year and from Formula Three only…you start to realise it a bit more when you see a Formula One car, but I think you completely realise it when you are in the car. Then you are ‘okay this is it'.

"Of course I will do a lot of training from now on to be prepared to the big step. I think the age doesn't really matter. You want to be fast of course, but the main goal is just to try and be very consistent and not make too many mistakes. 

"I think it will be very good for Holland to have a new Dutch F1 driver - and also I am the second Verstappen name now, so I think that will be really cool. In the future of course I hope to become a world champion - that is also a dream."

Marko said the announcement had been made now in order to give Verstappen the maximum time possible to ready himself for his debut season, and also to give the outgoing Jean-Eric Vergne a chance to prove himself to other F1 teams.

"We are announcing it in the middle of the season to end all the speculation, to give a really good preparation for next year," Marko said.

"We were a little bit spoiled by what we have seen from Kvyat, who came into F1 with nearly no testing and was immediately in the points. I think we expect similar things from Max.

"On the other hand [there are] eight races left for Jean-Eric Vergne. He can make a good impression by having some really good results [which can] help him further his Formula One career."

Verstappen has won eight times and scored 13 podiums in his maiden FIA European Formula Three campaign, and lies second in the championship with two rounds to go.

(source: f1.com)

VIDEO: FIA Thursday press conference - Malaysia

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