FAENZA, Italy — Scuderia Toro Rosso has announced that they will reprise their driver lineup from this weekend’s Formula 1 race at Circuit of the Americas for the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix on Oct. 29.
New Zealander Brendon Hartley will return for his second-career F1 start, after a solid maiden outing saw him finish 13th despite starting at the rear of the grid due to penalties for new engine components.
Meanwhile, Gasly returns to the team after missing the United States Grand Prix because he was scheduled to compete in the Japanese Super Formula finale at Suzuka Int’l Racing Course.
Unfortunately for the 21-year-old Frenchman, he never got a chance to compete in that season-ending race, as it was cancelled due to a typhoon. Gasly ended the year half a point shy of claiming the championship from Hiroaki Ishiura, despite two wins and three-straight top-two finishes in the final three completed rounds of the season.
Gasly’s two F1 starts with Toro Rosso to-date have netted him finishes of 14th (Malaysia) and 13th (Japan).
With Monday’s announcement, Daniil Kvyat will be the odd man out at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, after a points-scoring finish on Sunday that saw him complete the top-10 and earn a championship point for the first time since coming home ninth at the Spanish Grand Prix in mid-May.
Aside from top-10s in Australia, Spain and the United States, Kvyat’s season has been lackluster. He has crashed out of four Grands Prix and stands 19th in the championship, the lowest of any driver that has scored at least one point this season in F1 competition.
Kvyat was stood down in favor of Gasly for the Malaysian and Japanese rounds.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
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