F1 driver Daniil Kvyat has been dropped by the Red Bull team after a shocking display at the Russian Grand Prix and will be replaced by teenage sensation Max Verstappen for the rest of the season.
Kvyat will now return to the Red Bull's junior F1 team, Toro Rosso, but his "career is heading in only one direction now", says Daniel Johnson of the Daily Telegraph.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Vettel had already branded his rival a "madman" following a near miss at the previous grand prix last month.
After Sunday's incident, he "immediately stormed into the Red Bull garage and began berating [Christian] Horner, his former principal at Red Bull", says The Guardian.
Fellow Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo, also sustained damage in the tangle and afterwards said he expected an apology from his team-mate.
The incident has led Red Bull to jettison the 22-year-old, who is in his fourth season as a Formula 1 driver.
The decision is "brutal even by Red Bull’s standards", says Johnson in the Telegraph.
The move is likely to have been sanctioned by Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, who said the team needed "serious talks" over Kvyat's future following the race.
"The more important issue was how all the embarrassment unfolded in front of Marko and Russian President Vladimir Putin at his home race," says the Daily Mail.
Kvyat has been sent to the F1 equivalent of the gulag, says Kevin Eason of The Times. But while his punishment has been "swift and lethal", the promotion of Verstappen has been "rapid and sensational", he adds.
"A year ago, Verstappen was not old enough to drive a road car; now he is placed in a team that has been a leading light in F1 since he was in short trousers," he says.
But the move may also be designed to keep other suitors at bay. "Verstappen comes out of contract next year and Ferrari are known to be keen to snap up the young Dutchman. Promoting him now should, in theory, inculcate a sense of loyalty."
-
Nicola Sturgeon's memoir: making the personal politicalTalking Point Former Scottish first minister attempts to set record straight in 'Frankly' but does she leave more questions than answers?
-
Trump-Putin: would land swap deal end Ukraine war?Today's Big Question Ukraine ready to make 'painful but acceptable' territorial concessions – but it still might not be enough for Vladimir Putin
-
The truth about sunscreenThe Explainer The science behind influencer claims that sun cream is toxic
-
Christian Horner and the Red Bull saga that refuses to go awayIn the Spotlight 'Too dizzy-making' even for the 'merry-go-round world of F1'
-
Max Verstappen: F1’s record-breaking world championIn the Spotlight Red Bull star has surpassed records set by Schumacher, Vettel and Hamilton
-
Mason Greenwood: footballer arrested on suspicion of rape and assaultSpeed Read Man Utd confirm the striker will not train or play until further notice
-
Max Verstappen: the miracle that made an F1 championIn the Spotlight Red Bull star snatched Lewis Hamilton’s crown in a dramatic finale in Abu Dhabi
-
Verstappen or Hamilton: the 2021 F1 title permutations explainedfeature Rivals are level on points going into Sunday’s final race in Abu Dhabi
-
Handball: swapping bikini bottoms for tight pantsSpeed Read Women competitors will be required to ‘wear short tight pants with a close fit’
-
Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of saving F1 title fade in Texasfeature A canny tyre strategy clocked up another win for Max Verstappen, who is surging ahead in the title race
-
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second comingSpeed Read Last week, Manchester United re-signed the forward on a two-year deal thought to be worth more than £400,000 a week
