Max Verstappen promoted to Red Bull as Daniil Kvyat is axed after just three races

Red Bull have dumped Daniil Kvyat after just three races of the 2016 season and replaced him with teenager Max Verstappen.

Kvyat enjoyed a career-high third place at last month’s Chinese Grand Prix leading team boss Christian Horner to hail the fact he “was driving fantastically and on the crest of a wave”.

But following a tough subsequent race weekend at his home race in Russia when he twice crashed into Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in the space of two corners, he was axed by his team with immediate effect.

Kvyat will step down to Red Bull’s B team, Toro Rosso, for next week’s Spanish Grand Prix and for the remainder of the season while 18-year-old Verstappen moves into a Red Bull race seat alongside Daniel Ricciardo.

The decision led to a rebuke from McLaren driver Jenson Button who wrote on Twitter: “Really? One bad race and Kvyat’s dropped, what about the podium in the previous race? #Shortmemories.”

But Horner insisted it the early-season driver change was right for the team and hailed Verstappen as “an outstanding young talent”.

Horner said: “We have the flexibility to move them between the two teams. Dany will be able to continue his development at Toro Rosso in a team that he is familiar with, giving him the chance to regain his form and show his potential.”