Daniil Kvyat will remain at Toro Rosso next year after the team confirmed it would extend his contract for 2017.
Kvyat's Formula One career appeared to be on the ropes earlier this year after he was demoted from the senior Red Bull team to Toro Rosso ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. Since then he has only scored four points for the Italian team and his seat was believed to be under threat from Red Bull junior Pierre Gasly, who is currently second in GP2. But in an announcement on Saturday morning at the U.S. Grand Prix the team confirmed the Russian would remain at Toro Rosso for another year.
"Great news!" Kvyat said. "I'd like to thank Red Bull, Dr [Helmut] Marko and all the team for their support and the faith they have shown in me since I returned to the team earlier this year. I'm very happy to stay with a team that feels like home to me. I'm delighted!
"I'm really looking forward to continuing the hard work together in 2017 and I'm really aiming high. I will always be fully dedicated, giving my 200%, and I will be pushing as hard as I usually do, that's for sure."
The news means he will continue alongside current teammate Carlos Sainz, who was confirmed as a Toro Rosso driver for 2017 ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix.
"It makes a change to announce our driver line-up relatively early," team principal Franz Tost said. "There are so many new elements coming to Formula One in general [in 2017] and to our team specifically, in terms of the change of power unit supplier, that having the same two drivers gives us stability and a benchmark to work from.
"For Carlos, it will be his third year with us, which speaks volumes when it comes to how highly we rate him. In recent races, it has been clear that Daniil is back on top form. I always told him that his future with us was in his hands and he has stepped up to the mark and delivered the sort of performances that have ensured his 2017 seat in the STR 12.
"We now have a very talented and strong driver pairing to tackle a season in which we expect to be very competitive."
Sainz added: "Considering how many changes there are in the Formula One pipeline for 2017, it's good to know that Daniil and I will continue to be teammates here in Toro Rosso next year. We know each other very well, as we've been racing together since 2010, and we work well together. I know that this season isn't over yet, but I'm already looking forward to next year!"