Toro Rosso Formula One driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands at the first official press conference Australia Formula One Grand Prix, at Melbourne’s Albert Park Track, March 12, 2015.
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Verstappen has swapped seats with Daniil Kvyat, with the Russian returning to Toro Rosso “to regain his form and show his potential” according to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
It means the Dutch youngster will be racing alongside Daniel Ricciardo at the next race on the 2016 Formula One calendar, the Spanish Grand Prix.
This is not necessarily unusual for Red Bull who have previously used Torro Rosso as a scouting ground for young talent, but as with all sports, not all young talent necessarily develops into A-team material.
Also at Toro Rosso is Carlos Sainz.
“We are in the unique position to have all four drivers across Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso under long term contracts with Red Bull, so we have the flexibility to move them between the two teams”.
Kvyat was harshly criticised for causing a crash in his home Russian Grand Prix last Sunday.
Verstappen will partner Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards, with Horner describing his career at Toro Rosso as “impressive”.
Looking ahead to his debut with RBR, Verstappen added: “Together with Red Bull Racing we’ll do everything to prepare me as best as possible for my first laps in the RB12, next week in Barcelona”.
He has clashed twice in two races with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, the four times world champion whose place he took at Red Bull, and has struggled to match Ricciardo’s pace.
But it is a big blow to the 22-year-old Kvyat, who was signed to replace Vettel when he left Red Bull to join Ferrari last year.
Kvyat did not apologize to Vettel, although he did after the Russian GP incident. Red Bull called it a “day of disaster”.
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Verstappen is believed to have a three-year contract with the Red Bull family, which runs until the end of 2017.
