Kvyat concedes chances of retaining AlphaTauri F1 seat are “slim”

Daniil Kvyat has admitted that his chances of remaining on the Formula 1 grid with AlphaTauri for the 2021 season are “slim”.

With Red Bull and Honda driver Yuki Tsunoda tipped to earn a graduation to F1 next year to get the second AlphaTauri seat alongside Pierre Gasly, Kvyat is looking increasingly-likely to lose his drive with the Faenza outfit.

An impressive rookie Formula 2 campaign sees Tsunoda sit third in the championship behind Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott and in with a shot of winning the title heading into the F2 finale in Bahrain.

The 20-year-old Japanese racer has subsequently emerged as a prime candidate for a promotion with AlphaTauri providing he secures enough Super Licence points. Tsunoda completed a 300km F1 test and has already been lined up by AlphaTauri to take part in the young driver test with the team in Abu Dhabi at the end of the year.

While his recent Imola test moved Tsunoda a step closer to F1, he is not guaranteed to earn a Super Licence as he must seal a top-five finish in the F2 championship. Tsunoda, Christian Lundgaard, Robert Shwartzman and Nikita Mazepin all are separated by just seven points with four races still remaining this season.

Even considering that and the current uncertainty lingering over Alex Albon’s position at Red Bull, it still looks as though Kvyat is set to be left without a seat - despite his starring drive to fourth place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

"Look, I have no illusions that things are difficult,” Kvyat conceded. “In fact, that the chances are slim, sure.

"Obviously Red Bull has their young driver programme which has to work and has to be promoted. It's always been like that and I don't see any reason why it should change for me. But I'm given this opportunity, and there are races to go still.

"As you saw at the last race, it was an amazing race. And with these kind of things, it will always go in your pocket something positive.

"It's important to keep pushing until the very last moment. It will always be remembered, it will always be [as] something plus. And, you never know what can happen also inside Red Bull. That's the only thing I focus on.”

Red Bull has already confirmed that it will look outside its talent pool at experienced drivers such as Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg should it decide to replace Albon and find a new teammate for Max Verstappen.

Kvyat insisted he has put his concerns about remaining in F1 to one side in order focus on extracting maximum performance out of the final four races of the year.

"The rest will not help me," he explained. "I know there is a high chance I might not be there next year.

"At Imola I didn't think about that and I managed to deliver a good result for the team. I'm only thinking about how to deliver the best for myself and for the team. And also, especially because we still have quite a big chance in the constructors' championship to move one position ahead."