Lauda unimpressed by 'utterly silly' Kvyat

Mercedes F1 non-executive chairman Niki Lauda isn't mincing his words on the subject of Daniil Kvyat's driving in last weekend's Russian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver succeeded in hitting Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari not once but twice right after the start of the race in Sochi, the second collision spinning the German into the tyre wall.

As he watched Kvyat's antics from the Mercedes garage, triple world champion Niki Lauda was left unimpressed.

"If I were Vettel, I would kill him," Lauda told SkySport.

"Horrible. He cannot drive all over the place with utter silliness."

The fact that a Mercedes was fortunately not involved in the incident changed nothing for Lauda.

"Vettel did everything alright. Kvyat crashed into him from behind. He couldn’t have done that sillier and more annoying."

Lauda's wrath was echoed and even amplified understandably by Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene, who dismissed Kvyat's reason for hitting Vettel the second time, the Russian claiming that the Ferrari slowed suddenly in Turn 3.

Kvyat accepted responsibility for the accident and was handed a 10-second stop-and-go penalty during the race as well as 3 penalty points on his super licence.

The Red Bull driver finds himself under big pressure to perform this year as his seat may well be up for grabs with both junior bulls Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz waiting in the wings for a promotion.

At the end of the day, another Austrian, and one with the power to perhaps make or break the Red Bull driver's future in F1, may have been equally unimpressed by what he saw last Sunday...

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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.