Kvyat Blames Sainz, Sainz Blames Kvyat.. Toro Rosso Saga Continues

Paul Jeffrey

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Sainz Kvyat Crash - British Grand Prix 2.jpg

The sense of unease growing within the Toro Rosso team continues to bubble post British Grand Prix, with both drivers laying the blame squarely with each other following yet another class between the Italian cars.

In a frantic opening lap exchange between the two Red Bull backed junior drivers, Russian Kvyat found himself overtaken by his team mate on entry to the super fast Copse corner, leading Sainz to run out wider than would be ideal and lose momentum into the quick left, right, left, right section of Maggots and Becketts. Running up alongside his team rival, it would appear that Kvyat lost control of the rear of his Renault powered Toro Rosso, with the resulting correction causing his car to run out and make content with the sister machine on the outside of the corner.

Unfortunately damage would force Sainz to spin out onto the asphalt run off area and into retirement, with his team mate Kvyat continuing to limp round the circuit in a clearly hobbled car, before eventually receiving a drive through penalty and finishing a distant 15th place.

Sainz Kvyat Crash - British Grand Prix.jpg


After the race Sainz would be understandably disappointed in his early retirement, blaming his team mate for yet another unforced opening lap accident, again with damage to both team cars.

"It is very clear on the cameras what happened," commented Sainz. "We were battling for position, giving each other space, then one car loses control and collides with the other no?

"A shame for sure, not good for the team, but it is a discussion and analysis that will stay in between us. It's something we need to talk in between us."

As is often the way with competitive racing drivers, Sainz view was not shared by his rival and team mate Kvyat, with the young Russian believing blame lay at the door of the other Toro Rosso driver:

"The frustration is that I overtook around Turn 11 - and then obviously you get to the dirty line and the understeer," Kvyat said.​

"The car comes with such a massive speed and since you have the understeer and your team mate just doesn't see you and comes across just like that, you crash.

"My frustration is because of the penalty – [the] stewards say you race you race and then this thing happens. My race is damaged, his race is damaged, and they penalise me. I don't know what they are looking for there."

It is widely believed that Sainz Jnr is looking for a move away from Toro Rosso and Red Bull for next season, as the talented Spaniard looks to progress up the Formula One grid and fight for race victories and an eventual championship challenge. Sadly for Sainz, a move to the main Red Bull outfit seems unlikely in the immediate future, with both Daniel Ricciardo and Dutch superstar Max Verstappen, who played his part in demoting Kvyat from the main team in 2016, firmly tied up by the Austrian team.

Kvyat himself continues to hang on to his Formula One career by the thinnest of margins, and with yet another inter team accident behind the under pressure driver, the Russian must be feeling the heat. His performances in what is a reasonably competitive car this season have not gone unnoticed by another ex Grand Prix driver, with 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve calling out the 23-year-old as "embarrassing", and claiming Toro Rosso should drop the driver for a few races this season...

"I'm not sure what Kvyat is trying to do," said the controversial Canadian to Motorsport.com. "Do you know what the worst aspect of it is? He then comes on the radio trying to put the blame on his teammate, thinking no one has seen it.

"That shows a bad attitude. He deserves to stay home. It has become embarrassing. He got sideways when he got back in the next corner and if Sainz had not been there, he would have gone off anyway.

"He should be left home for a bit so he can think about it because it's not the first weekend he's been a bit over the top. Maybe F1 is too fast for him, I don't know."
Villeneuve has never been one to mince his words, and the former Williams, BAR and Sauber driver has been unimpressed from what he has seen during Kvyat's stay in Grand Prix racing, going on to claim that the youngster has failed to learn from past mistakes, and is fast running out of opportunities to prove his worth in Grand Prix racing.

"If you keep pointing the finger, then you never learn," he said. "You should always blame yourself, even when it's not - that's the only way you can make yourself better.

"When it's clearly 100 percent your fault, and by a huge margin, the attitude of trying to put the blame on someone else makes it pathetic.

"Normally drivers don't even get a second chance - he's had plenty and he doesn't seem to learn".
With a highly motivated and by all accounts exceptionally talented Pierre Gasly waiting in the Red Bull wings for his shot at the big time in Formula One, Daniil Kvyat will have to up his game, and quickly, if he is to remain a Toro Rosso driver beyond the end of the current season.

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Do you think Sainz or Kvyat were to blame for the contact at Silverstone on Sunday? Can Kvyat turn around his recent form and establish himself in Grand Prix racing? Let us know in the comments section below!
 
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Can't really see how that was anyone but Kvyat's fault. I was pleased he got another chance after a torrid time last season and he has matched Saintz in qualifying but just has too many incidents at the moment. Reminds me a bit of when Grosjean could do nothing but hit other cars early in his F1 career, but the difference being he is not learning from his mistakes.
 
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What's up with the Kvyat hate train, ever since Russia 2016 every single thing he does get treated like a nucliar bomb!.

I like Kvyat (probably the only one in this universe), And Dr Marko does too otherwise he would have been sacked after Russia 2016.

Sainz is the biggest whiner F1 has ever seen, Never his fault always the other to blame, Glad he's leacing STR and some new talent will come in Hungary. Gasly! (Yes yes i know it's a rumour but i think it's going to happen)

(FYI I think this one was Kvyat to blame)
 
What's up with the Kvyat hate train, ever since Russia 2016 every single thing he does get treated like a nucliar bomb!.

I like Kvyat (probably the only one in this universe), And Dr Marko does too otherwise he would have been sacked after Russia 2016.

Sainz is the biggest whiner F1 has ever seen, Never his fault always the other to blame, Glad he's leacing STR and some new talent will come in Hungary. Gasly! (Yes yes i know it's a rumour but i think it's going to happen)

(FYI I think this one was Kvyat to blame)
I certainly have nothing against Kvyat and thought he got a rough deal at Red Bull but there's little argument that he's been at the centre of too many incidents and most are of his creation.
 
Yeah all his fault this one, its tough to get demoted from a car that is giving him top 5 finishes and being the Russian hope and all the fame and money that could bring, i get that, in an F1 context its a bad situation for the lad.
But falling put with your team mate and then basically taking far too many risks far too early on trying to make your car behave like the old Red Bull you were in is just silly....

I doubt at this rate even Formula E will be knocking on his door.
WTCC? TCR? Didn't hurt Gabbrielli
 
I was one of the ones who didn't like him being demoted to Toro Rosso. Hugely embarrassing and undeserved, regardless of how good Max is.
But to say "he turned into me" after his car had a moment at the exit of Maggots, he surely needs to reexamine his definition of tyre physics and humble himself to accept that was his fault. It was clear as day that Sainz left him room on the left, I mean, is he supposed to go off the circuit to leave him the whole asphalt?
 
Truth is he really didnt deserve to be dumped by RBR at least the way they did it. Im surprised he even came back from that the way he did. Gotta feeling there was a lot of pressure from Max's old man to get Max in or they would bail. And Danny was having issues at the time but still. I wish him well....but must admit he's doing Pastor school of F1 racing lately.
 
And he says that it's Sainz fault for not preventing that he would crash into him...awesome:thumbsup:

I read that, and was like, WHAT??

Truth is he really didnt deserve to be dumped by RBR at least the way they did it. Im surprised he even came back from that the way he did. Gotta feeling there was a lot of pressure from Max's old man to get Max in or they would bail. And Danny was having issues at the time but still. I wish him well....but must admit he's doing Pastor school of F1 racing lately.

He totally deserved to be demoted. He was on the block, because he was crashing into people then--hit Vettel twice in two corners on that one start. And Max was obviously a WAY better driver, that was known back then. How does that decision not make sense? Kvyat did not deserve that seat. If Max's dad did get involved, I don't think he had to put much pressure on Red Bull to make what was clearly the best decision?
 

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