Former driver defends Kvyat's new role

Jan.18 - Russia's first F1 test driver has backed Daniil Kvyat as he is snapped up by Ferrari for 2018.

Some are declaring that Red Bull refugee Kvyat's move to a development role at Ferrari is effectively the death knell for his career.

But Sergey Zlobin, who more than a decade ago became the first Russian test driver with his Minardi role, said the idea of dead-end test jobs is an "incomprehensible stereotype".

"In fact, Kvyat has received a good and highly paid job," Zlobin told Sportbox.

"Yes, he will be seen less on TV, but he becomes a member of this elite team and if one of the Ferrari drivers has problems, he will get the chance to race.

"I would say half the paddock dreams of such a job," he added.

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Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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