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F1 German Grand Prix: Kvyat: I really need the summer break…

Daniil Kvyat has vowed to come back from the mid-season F1 hiatus more focused and relaxed after admitting he has been 'asking too much of myself' since returning to Toro Rosso earlier in the season.

The Russian has struggled to make an impression since being demoted to Toro Rosso from Red Bull Racing at the Spanish Grand Prix, a swing in fortunes magnified by the success of his race-winning replacement Max Verstappen.

With just two tenth place finishes to his name in the STR11, Kvyat's season hit a low during the German Grand Prix weekend when he could only qualify 19th.

Though he says he was pleased with his subsequent race performance on a day that saw Toro Rosso struggle for performance generally in the mid-field, Kvyat nonetheless admits the summer break cannot come soon enough.

"I really need it I think, me more than anyone else I think. I've been straining myself, asking too much of myself, asking things that were not possible in this car and these circumstances, especially when I just came to the team... Monaco, Baku worked well, I think I jumped ahead of the car performance and everything, then I then felt that was possible the next races.

Indeed, Kvyat says he has been 'forcing things' since joining Toro Rosso but is now determined to use the three-week hiatus as a chance to understand his performances and learn from them.

"I felt that many people who know me saw I was not myself these last few weeks, also Christian [Horner]. But I don't need anyone to be sorry for me or anything but I think everyone has these points in life. For sure, [qualifying] was a low point. But already in the race I felt like I took not one but two steps forward.

"I think after all these things happened I was trying to improve a bit too much, trying to ask too much of myself when it was not possible. When you do this it's not good because you cannot go over your own capacity. OF course I was angry at many circumstances and tried to force things, but I cannot force things and I have to just go on my instinct like I always do and like it was in the race.

"It's easy to train yourself and that's what I feel like I did. Now I know what I did wrong, now I have the summer break and that's a good thing."

Zdroj: crash.net