Kvyat a "living example" of bouncing back for Gasly

Having been dropped from the Red Bull programme late in 2017 Kvyat returned to the former Toro Rosso outfit last season after a year on the sidelines as a simulator driver at Ferrari.

He was then joined in the second half of the season by Gasly after the Frenchman was replaced at Red Bull Racing by Alex Albon.

With no qualified candidates in Red Bull’s junior ranks, the Faenza outfit retained both its 2019 drivers for this season, giving a team that has often fielded rookies the most experienced line-up it has ever had.

Both thus have a further chance to prove that they are worth a second shot at RBR should a vacancy arise.

“I think almost everyone who’s come through this team has been very talented,” Kvyat told Motorsport.com.

“Some were unlucky with timing, like in my case at Red Bull Racing it was not the best timing to be in the team. I really don’t want to talk for Pierre, what happened to him at Red Bull, it wouldn’t be right.

“But now of course it’s all OK. He had a shorter time at Red Bull, and he has a living example in front of him that everything’s possible, even if you get dropped from Red Bull. It’s good that they gave a second chance to both of us, I think.”

Kvyat acknowledged that the lack of alternative candidates helped to ensure both men retained their seats.

“Sometimes timing works for you, sometimes timing works against you. In the end it’s all about trying to be patient and doing your job, and being in the right place at the right time.

“I don’t want to give too much deep thought about my current situation or my past situation, it’s just the way it happened. It could have not happened, but it happened, and I’m pretty happy.

“Of course, I’m always grateful to Red Bull. They’ve been very harsh on me, but also very good to me at the same time. There are many things that I’m grateful for, and hopefully the relationship continues to be very strong.”

Kvyat says that his year away from racing in 2018 gave him a fresh insight, and made him stronger when he returned.

“I think once you see everything from a different perspective, maybe you’re outside from the sport, and you think, ‘OK if I ever have a chance then I will kind of give it more love, and more passion.’

“Then during the year you become more and more competitive, and you always want more. It’s normal.

“Whenever I have a bad day I remember those days and I say, ‘OK every day here is a good day, no matter how disappointing the race was,’ and so on. Of course those times definitely helped, yes.”

Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso STR14

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images