Kvyat: Albon has 'big potential and room to move'

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Dany Kvyat believes his former Toro Rosso teammate Alex Albon has "room to move" as the Red Bull driver's undisputable potential is fulfilled.

Albon was an unexpected addition to last year's F1 grid when the British-Thai charger was offered an opportunity to step up to the big time by Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko.

Half-way through the 2019 season, Marko was impressed by Albon's efforts and decided to promote the 23-year-old to RBR while Pierre Gasly stepped back to Toro Rosso.

Kvyat admits that his initial reaction to Marko's choice wasn't a positive one.

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"Put it this way, I wasn’t happy, for sure," he said on F1's Beyond the Grid podcast. "I cannot say that when I heard the decision I fully understood it and I fully agreed with it.

"I was a bit like ‘it doesn’t sound right’. But if you look at it in a way it can make sense.

"I’ve been there already and they need new blood, always, they need to promote young drivers, this is what the Red Bull does, it’s ok. In the end after a few days I took and accepted the decision."

Despite spending only half a season alongside Albon, Kvyat rated his former teammate very highly.

"I did just half a year with him but I enjoyed working with him to be honest," said the Russian. "Quite an easygoing personality and sometimes good jokes, sometimes not so good.

"[He’s] a very fast guy. But when you come in on Formula 1, you have this rookie flow, everything comes easy to you. I think he’s going to discover more and more of this world.

"But he also has room, because he’s been a rookie last year, he has room to even improve more. So I think he has big potential for sure."

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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.