Gasly to make F1 debut

Pierre Gasly will make his Formula One debut for Toro Rosso at this weekend"s Malaysian GP as a replacement for the underperforming Daniil Kvyat.

Gasly, 21, who is one of the Red Bull junior programme drivers, won the GP2 series last year and has been racing in Super Formula in Japan in 2017.

Kvyat, 23, has won just four points from 14 races this season, and Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost says the Russian driver's poor form has prompted the change.

"For a variety of reasons, some of them due to technical problems, but others being mistakes of his own making, Daniil Kvyat has not really shown his true potential so far this year, which is why we are standing him down for the next races," Tost told Toro Rosso's official website.

"This will give us the opportunity to evaluate Pierre on track during a proper race weekend."

Gasly added: "This is a great opportunity for me. 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.

"I will do my best to perform well with Scuderia Toro Rosso during these coming races."

Kvyat was demoted from Red Bull to the junior Toro Rosso team last season, after a disastrous showing at the Russian Grand Prix, in which he crashed into Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel twice on consecutive corners.

However, Tost insists the Russian still has a future with the team despite his recent difficulties.

"This is not a case of goodbye for our Daniil, as he still remains part of the Red Bull family," he added. 

The Malaysia Grand Prix at the Sepang international circuit will be shown live over the weekend of 29 September-1 October on eir Sport in Ireland. The race is live on eir Sport 1 on Sunday, 1 October [race time 8am]

Photo Getty Images/Charles Coates

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