Kvyat looking to better Barcelona personal best

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Dany Kvyat was under the scrutiny of his countrymen last time out in Sochi, but the Russian is happy to relinquish that role to team mate Carlos Sainz at his home race in Barcelona.

Racing on home turf provides an extra boost of motivation but also added attention and public relation commitments.

So Kvyat will be delighted to focus once again on his race, leaving Sainz in the limelight.

"Racing in your team-mate’s country definitely means less attention on yourself, which can sometimes be quite okay as it lets you focus more on the driving,” he said.

"This is because, usually, most of the events are done by your teammate when it’s his home country…

"It becomes his duty and we swap – I’ve done just that in Russia a couple of weeks ago!"

Sainz 'happy' staying at Toro Rosso

Everyone will obviously be in very familiar territory next weekend as the Circuit de Catalunya is often chosen as the venue of choice for Formula 1 testing.

The track still offers a few interesting challenges however, which Kvyat will tackled with the hope of improving is most recent track record in Spain.

"We do a lot of testing in Barcelona, which means it’s a track we all know very well," Kvyat says.

"It has many different kind of corners, high and low speed, and every section has a different character, which is interesting. I’d say there are really no surprises for us here!

"My favorite corners are Turns 3 and 9, they’re cool! Generally speaking, Spain is a nice circuit for me.

"Having collected plenty of data at the test, we will now need to get everything absolutely perfect in order to be in good shape this weekend.

"I’ve finished tenth in Spain for the last two years, but I hope it’s higher than that this year!"

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.