Alpine has surprisingly revealed a hidden asset supporting their Formula 1 revival this season: former Red Bull driver and podium finisher Daniil Kvyat. The Russian quietly returned to the Enstone team as a simulator driver, a role that has largely gone under the radar.
Kvyat is no stranger to the paddock. He started 110 grands prix between 2014 and 2020, racing for Red Bull's teams across multiple stints, and spent a year as a Ferrari simulator driver in 2018. He also had a stint as Alpine's reserve driver in 2021. Now, his experience is being tapped to help the team through its recovery.
Kvyat's role at Alpine has been kept deliberately low-key. He shares simulator duties with reserve drivers Paul Aron and Kush Maini. But his contribution goes beyond car development. When Aron is required on-site at flyaway races, Kvyat steps in for race weekend support. He also maintains direct communication with race driver Pierre Gasly, his former teammate at Red Bull's junior team, to provide real-time technical feedback.
Word is that Kvyat played a significant role in Alpine's in-weekend turnarounds in Japan and Canada. The Enstone-based team is indeed enjoying a much-improved season. New regulations and the switch to Mercedes engines have launched them back to the head of the midfield, something that may not be unrelated to the work behind the scenes.
Since leaving F1, Kvyat has explored various racing disciplines: NASCAR, top-level sportscars, Formula E, and even a role as a reference driver racing against an autonomous vehicle in Abu Dhabi. This year, he competes in Japan's Super GT series in the GT300 class alongside veteran driver Takashi Kogure. The pair are currently 16th in the standings with a best class finish of sixth.
For Alpine, Kvyat's presence is an invisible but valuable asset. The team, fighting to assert its identity in the midfield, needs someone with broad insight and sharp feedback skills. Kvyat, with his wealth of experience across multiple series, bridges the gap between simulator data and on-track action.
With Alpine's performance on the rise, Kvyat's role may become even more crucial. If the team can maintain momentum, Kvyat's name might be mentioned more often as one of the keys to their revival, albeit from behind the scenes.
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