Former Formula 1 driver Marc Surer has suggested that Red Bull used Daniil Kvyat's tumultuous home race in Russia as justification to oust him.
This weekend in Barcelona, teen sensation Max Verstappen will take up his new place at the energy drink's premier team, with Kvyat relegated to Toro Rosso.
It follows two consecutive controversies for 22-year-old Kvyat - the argument with Sebastian Vettel in China, and the multiple contact with Ferrari's lead driver just two weeks later in Russia.
"Such incidents at the start [as in Russia] can happen to anyone," said Surer, a pundit for German broadcaster Sky. "It's racing. The trouble in this case was that there were two contacts. Otherwise no-one would have got that excited about it.
"My feeling is that Red Bull was waiting for an incident and that it was long planned that Verstappen would be brought into the senior team.
"There were other teams also interested in [Max], so Red Bull probably only needed one excuse and Kvyat delivered it. He was a sacrificial pawn, I think."
Surer, however, says that it is not all bad for Kvyat, as he has been given a second chance at the junior team Toro Rosso.
"It's not all negative for him, after all he has been given a second chance at the moment at Toro Rosso who are a good team. Kvyat will have another chance to show what he can do.
"If he puts the Toro Rosso on the podium, he will re-establish himself, so overall the decision is fair - they didn't just throw him out."
Practice for the Spanish Grand Prix gets underway tomorrow.
