Former Red Bull driver targeting Formula E switch

Former Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat has confirmed to RacingNews365 he is "interested" in switching to Formula E. 

Since leaving AlphaTauri at the end of the 2020 season, Kvyat has mainly raced in the World Endurance Championship, although he has tested FE machinery on multiple occasions.

The Russian driver was infamously replaced by Max Verstappen at Red Bull after just four races in the 2016 season, before returning to the sister team where he continued for a few seasons, either side of a third driver role with Ferrari in 2018. 

Kvyat's most recent FE test was on Thursday [February 13] ahead of this weekend's inaugural Jeddah E-Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. 

Kvyat finished fifth for DS Penske in a 40-minute rookie session. Beforehand, he spoke of his growing interest in the all-electric series.

"I'm not opposed to the idea of that," Kvyat told RacingNews365 when asked if he would be eager for a seat. "Of course, there are many details to look into if it was to go ahead. 

"But yeah, potentially interested. The championship is getting better. It's interesting. The races are quite fast, and the idea of the championship is very nice, for environmental purposes also. But the championship itself is very interesting. 

"It's been very interesting for a few years for different manufacturers. It means it has a very big value."

An additional advantage to a full-time FE seat for Kvyat is his career has largely been spent in single seaters, something he would like to return to. 

However, as with several drivers in the category, he would be open to continuing in WEC alongside racing in FE. 

"I also like a lot of the aspects [that it is] very individual racing here in Formula E," he said. "It's more familiar to what I've been growing up doing.

"Why not both championships? Some drivers here combine, it's not a bad idea. There are a lot of things to discuss if something did go ahead."