Baku, March 4, AZERTAC

Formula 1 driver of Toro Rosso Daniil Kvyat shared his impressions with the Baku City Circuit.

AZERTAC presents the interview.

Were you able to really feel the new car?

We have driven for a long distance, but it is still less than we would like to do. We need to spend more time on the track, so that engineers could gather enough information.

Are you keeping eyes on competitors? Which of their solutions have surprised you?

Of course, we observe the competitors, one of them has shown the fastest time, but we are not focusing on it as we have not passed actually fast laps yet. But again, we are watching and keep our eyes open.

Yesterday you made a mistake and spun into the gravel. It was only your fault, or some kind of mechanical problem?

It's simple - I blocked the wheel, drove into the gravel. The main thing is that we did not waste time on it. All eyes are on mistakes, although all the pilots have had faults many times. Yesterday, for example, the wind picked up to 30 km/h, and it was very easy to make a mistake.

And what happened with the car today? Could you find out the cause of the problem?

We noticed by telemetry a strange behavior of one part of the engine, it was necessary to remove it together with the gearbox, we may need to replace this element. Unfortunately, it cost us a lot of time.

Will it be more difficult to overtake with the new cars?

Now, it is difficult to talk about it, because there is little data. But in theory, it should be more difficult as the braking distance will be reduced. However, it is possible to overtake, we just need to be better prepared. So, I hope that fans will be excited.

There were many speculations about DRS system (Drag Reduction System) and its necessity in Formula 1. What is your opinion?

In my opinion, we will need such a system with the new cars, as it will be much more difficult to outrace. It will not be satisfying all at once. There is no perfect solution. DRS system has both positive and negative aspects.

Let’s move on to the personal questions. What language do you think in?

In English when I am driving because I communicate with engineers and get information in this language. Otherwise it would be difficult. And in everyday life it is mostly in Russian.

What kind of music do you listen for better concentration before the race?

I do not always listen to music, do not give this much attention. Usually I listen to different singers: Metallica, Kings of Leon, even ABBA.

Now, let’s talk about Baku. What did you like most last year?

What impressed me most is the track. It really stands out from the rest of the rounds of the Formula 1 championship. A first impression we got was on Thursday, when together with the engineers we took a walk through it: a very long straight, and one of the narrowest parts among all the tracks - it's really cool!

Do you think Baku track will be more challenging this year with the new cars?

Yes, city tracks will pose a new challenge for us, we will have to get used to new dimensions - it is not always easy.