Gasly to replace Kvyat for Toro Rosso at Malaysian F1 meet

Pierre Gasly is to replace Russian Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso at this weekend's Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix, the French team announced on Tuesday.

Toro Rosso, owned by Red Bull, confirmed in a statement that the 21-year-old Frenchman is to appear at the next Grand Prix, reports Efe.

"For the next Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly will be driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, standing in for Daniil Kvyat, alongside Carlos Sainz," the statement said.

Gasly is one of the Red Bull Junior Programme drivers and has been racing in Japan in the Super Formula category this year.

He was the GP2 champion in 2016.

Toro Rosso said that he would now have to prove himself in F1, starting in Malaysia, adding that Daniil "still remains part of the Red Bull Family".

The team said that the decision to replace Kvyat was taken for a "variety of reasons, some of them due to technical problems, but others being mistakes of his own making" that did not allow him to show "his true potential so far this year."

Kvyat, 23, has won just four points so far this season and is in the 19th spot in the championship.

Sporting director of Toro Rosso, Franz Tost, said that Gasly deserved the opportunity after claiming the 2016 GP2 title and was "very competitive in the Super Formula series in Japan this year".

"He really has a valid chance of winning the title, as he is only half a point behind the leader. The driver switch gives us an opportunity to make a more informed decision regarding our 2018 driver choices," Tost said.

Gasly thanked everyone who helped him "get this chance," and said he would "do his best to perform well with Scuderia Toro Rosso during these coming races."

"I feel as ready as I can be, having had to be prepared for anything in my role as Red Bull Racing's third driver this year," he added.

--IANS

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