The motorsport meme train is rarely funny or original. When it’s not rehashing old jokes at former wall-botherer Pastor Maldonado, it’s compiling a list of things that the current McLaren-Honda is faster than. An arthritic grandmother. A sleeping snail. A tree. Ad nauseam.
However, the meme brigade has a brand new target to focus its repertoire of one joke on. A couple of clumsy rounds for Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat has ensured that Sebastian Vettel’s “torpedo” jibe from 2016 is becoming increasingly rehashed. And it’s a darn shame.
After getting “demoted” to the Red Bull B-team after the opening rounds of last season, Kvyat’s been a man short on confidence. An excellent divebomb on Vettel at China last year was followed by a not-so-excellent shoving in the subsequent Sochi round, putting the German’s Ferrari in the wall at Turn 4. Dr Helmut Marko, the alarmingly-uncompromising head of Red Bull’s junior driver program, proceeded to orchestrate the switch between Kvyat and Max Verstappen.
The switch was shortly vindicated after Verstappen won in his first race for Red Bull at Spain, and the Dutchman continues to make inroads on team-mate Daniel Ricciardo’s slight advantage.
Yet, the ordeal had crushed Kvyat. He didn’t like to show it, of course, trying to remain as stoic as possible even as the troubles mounted. Eventually, the mask slipped. His post-race interviews at Hockenheim last year was that of a man beaten and broken, his wings clipped.
Kvyat hit the reset button that summer and, to his credit, he came back fighting. His excellent defensive drive against Verstappen in that year’s Singapore Grand Prix has been described as “Kvyat’s Last Stand”; the Russian gave absolutely everything to keep his highly-rated replacement at bay.
For the most part this season, Kvyat’s looked much better. The points table doesn’t entirely reflect that, with team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. perhaps receiving a better rub of the green with mechanical issues, but on ultimate pace they’ve been incredibly close. But again, the problems have mounted for Kvyat, coming to a head at Silverstone.
Losing the chance to close up on Sainz in the drivers’ championship through various degrees of misfortune (an unceremonious punting from Perez at Monaco, then penalty and power unit woes at Canada and Azerbaijan), Kvyat’s frustration built.
Perhaps too eager to make up ground off the line at Austria, Kvyat speared into Fernando Alonso’s McLaren, earning penalty points for his troubles. Then, fighting with Sainz through Maggotts, Kvyat blotted his copybook at Silverstone and impatiently collected his team-mate for another trip to the stewards. Torpedo. Boom.
However, there’s certainly a contrary argument to the Toro Rosso contact at Silverstone. Could Sainz have backed out? Is the lack of opportunities at the senior Red Bull team causing both drivers to take too many risks, perhaps looking to cast their nets in other waters? As it stands, the Toro Rosso setup seems quite superfluous, with Ricciardo and Verstappen locked into long-term contracts.
But, back to Kvyat. Let’s look at a few things in context: he’s been on pace with Sainz all year long. Yet, while Sainz is linked with moves to perhaps Ferrari or Renault, Kvyat’s place in F1 is frequently questioned. Naturally, crashing does tend to change peoples’ opinions, but let’s not forget that Sainz has been equally clumsy this year.
It’s also interesting to point out that, when racing for Arden together in GP3, Kvyat won the championship as Sainz floundered in the lower reaches of the points. Junior results don’t always translate into the higher categories, but the point is that Kvyat’s got the talent to make it in F1. Oh, and he outscored Ricciardo in 2015 when they were team-mates.
Perhaps he’d just benefit from a different style of management.
Granted, it’s difficult to be picky in F1. With just twenty seats available and the top teams remaining relatively stagnant, the rest of the drivers aren’t exactly guaranteed longevity. Yet, the steely gaze of Helmut Marko doesn’t seem to be doing Kvyat’s confidence any good; last year, the Russian was linked to the vacant Force India seat before it went to Ocon. Perhaps, if another team was willing to take a chance, Kvyat might once again flourish.
Sure, that’s just conjecture. However, it’s amazing what a change of scene can do; Felipe Massa was revitalised at Williams after a tough few years at Ferrari, while Heinz-Harald Frentzen was completely reborn at Jordan, away from Patrick Head’s semi-frequent admonishments at Williams.
With one more round before the summer break, Kvyat’s going to have to pick himself up once more over August. Will he be able to rocket his way back into regular points, or is he forever destined to be the “torpedo”?
I hope it’s the former. That post-race interview at Germany last year was haunting.
Main image: Red Bull Media Service
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