Red Bull have pulled off a "masterstroke" by calling up Max Verstappen early, according to Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle.

Verstappen, who had only been at sister team Toro Rosso for just over a year, has been promoted to replace Daniil Kvyat just four rounds into the 2016 season after the Russian's error-strewn display at his home grand prix.

Red Bull have been criticised for their treatment of Kvyat, with Jenson Button questioning the team's "short memories" following his podium finish at the Chinese GP.

But with both Mercedes and Ferrari holding an interest in Verstappen, Brundle believes the timing makes sense for the four-time constructors' champions.

We look back at the crash that cost Daniil Kvyat his place in the Red Bull line-up from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards We look back at the crash that cost Daniil Kvyat his place in the Red Bull line-up from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards

"I think it was the perfect chance for Red Bull to move him out the way," Brundle told Sky Sports News HQ from Maranello. "They want to do something with Verstappen, they have to protect him, keep him in the Red Bull team moving forward.

"They know Mercedes want him, they know Ferrari will want him and other teams too. It's a bit of a masterstroke from Red Bull actually, as brutal as it looks for Kvyat."

Verstappen is thought to be contracted to Red Bull until 2017, and will hope to build on his impressive debut season in Formula 1 after thanking Helmut Marko and Christian Horner for their faith in him.

Kvyat will now race for Toro Rosso, who he lined up for in 2014, from the Spanish GP, and Ted Kravitz believes the driver swap helps diffuse the toxic atmosphere within the Italian-based team.

Just four races into the new Formula One season, Max Verstappen has swapped places with Daniil Kvyat Just four races into the new Formula One season, Max Verstappen has swapped places with Daniil Kvyat

"Toro Rosso is a melting pot at the best of times," he said in his Q&A. "But the second year of the Verstappen-Carlos Sainz rivalry turned ugly from the very off in Australia and I don't think we understood how deeply those tensions have been felt within the team.

"If you take one of those protagonists out of that atmosphere and put the politically neutral Kvyat back in, I think it can only help bring stability to Toro Rosso."