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Kvyat joins Alpine F1 as reserve driver

AAP
Daniil Kvyat will be Alpine F1 reserve driver this Formula One season.
Camera IconDaniil Kvyat will be Alpine F1 reserve driver this Formula One season.

Russian Daniil Kvyat has been announced as Alpine F1's reserve driver this season as the Renault-owned team unveiled its 2021 Formula One car.

Kvyat lost his race seat at Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri to Japan's Yuki Tsunoda at the end of last season.

The 26-year-old also served as Ferrari reserve in 2018 when he was also dropped by Red Bull.

He has made 110 race starts to date, with three podium finishes.

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"In a year of pandemic, it is important for us to have a strong back up, and Daniil has proven that he's a very quick and reliable driver under very difficult conditions," Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi said.

"He has already scored three podiums at the age of 26, so we are very, very happy to have someone who is going to be able to step up if the need arises."

The rebranded Alpine team have Frenchman Esteban Ocon, 24, and Spain's double world champion Fernando Alonso, 39, as their race line up.

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Their reserve last year, as the Renault team, was Russian Sergey Sirotkin. Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou will be the test driver.

Ocon said he had been impressed by his older teammate Alonso, who he said did not look or drive like someone his age.

"He doesn't look like a 39-year-old and he doesn't drive like a 39-year-old," Ocon told reporters.

"So trust me, he will be ready and he will be performing at top level. No doubt he will be strong but I will do my best against him and push him as hard as I can."

The new Alpine car's livery of blue, white and red match the colours of the French flag instead of the yellow and black of the Renault car.

The team said the new colours are "synonymous to Alpine's heritage and pedigree in motorsports."

The 2021 season starts in Bahrain on March 28.

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