Kvyat Signs with G-Drive for Sports Car Racing Debut

Ex-Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat has signed with G-Drive Racing for the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship, marking his first campaign in sports car competition.

G-Drive announced in a social media post on Monday that Kvyat has joined the team for its return to the world stage with an Oreca 07 Gibson run by Algarve Pro Racing.

The three-time Grand Prix podium finisher will share the wheel with James Allen and Rene Binder, who is the designated FIA Silver in the driving crew.

Kvyat raced full-time in Formula 1 from 2014 until the end of the 2020 season, after which he became a reserve driver for Alpine in 2021.

The 27-year-old spent most of his F1 career with Toro Rosso and AlphaTauri but also had a spell with Red Bull Racing in 2015 and the early part of 2016.

His first podium was a second-place for Red Bull at the 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix, followed by a third place in China the next year and another third in Germany for Toro Rosso in 2019.

Kvyat, who is understood to have already tested the Algarve Pre-engineered Oreca, has become the latest former F1 driver to seal his WEC debut in the LMP2 class this year joining Esteban Gutierrez has signed with Inter Europol Competition.

“I am happy to join G-Drive Racing, without a doubt the most successful sportscar teams in the world,” said Kvyat.

“Endurance racing has always fascinated me and to compete in the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans, one of the most famous and prestigious races on the planet, is every driver’s dream but first I am looking forward to the first race in Sebring.

“This form of racing is a new challenge for me and the competition in this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship will be very tough, but together with my teammates and the G-Drive Racing team, we are ready to fight.”

Kvyat’s signing forms the last piece of the puzzle for full-season LMP2 lineups, with the entire roster of 15 entries now completed.

Some of the other major additions to the class for 2022 include eight-time World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier at Richard Mille Racing, IMSA champions Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron at Team Penske and former DTM title rivals Nico Mueller, Robin Frijns and Rene Rast at Vector Sport and WRT respectively.