Toro Rosso confirms Kvyat return

Daniil Kvyat is determined to make the most of his latest opportunity with Toro Rosso next year after his seat was confirmed.

Daniil Kvyat, who will return to Toro Rosso in 2019

Daniil Kvyat will return to Toro Rosso for the 2019 Formula One season. The Russian was on Saturday confirmed as the replacement for Pierre Gasly, who will step up to take Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull seat.

Kvyat was demoted by Red Bull and dropped twice in the space of 18 months in 2016-17, team principal Franz Tost stating that Toro Rosso had lost faith in the 24-year-old after he was axed last year.

Yet Kvyat, a development driver for Ferrari this season, will be back on the grid next year. "First of all, I would like to thank Red Bull and Toro Rosso for giving me this opportunity to race in Formula 1 again and I am particularly pleased to be returning to a team I know very well," he said.

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"Toro Rosso has always made me feel at home and I'm sure it will still be the same next season. I would also like to thank Ferrari for trusting my driving skills which allowed me to stay connected to F1 as their development driver."

"Even if my duties were primarily simulator based, I've learnt a lot, and I now feel stronger and better prepared than when I left Toro Rosso."

"I never gave up hope of racing again, I am still young and I have kept in good shape to always be prepared in case another opportunity presented itself. I will give my best to deliver what the team expects from me and I can't wait for everything to start again."

Tost said: "Kvyat has earned the right to make another comeback. I believe he deserves another chance in Formula 1. Daniil is a high skilled driver with fantastic natural speed, which he has proven several times in his career."

"There were some difficult situations he had to face in the past, but I'm convinced that having had time to mature as a person away from the races will help him show his undeniable capabilities on track."

"We'll push very hard to provide him with a good package, and I feel the best is yet to come from his side. That's why we are happy to welcome him back to our team, to start a successful season together."