Jolyon Palmer has said that he is determined to retain his seat at Renault for 2018, although he faces stiff opposition to hold onto the final seat available at the team.
Jolyon Palmer determined to keep Renault seat for 2018
Palmer made his Formula 1 debut for Renault in 2016 where he partnered Kevin Magnussen. After a disappointing first half of the season, the Briton had a change in form, and was able to get on top of Magnussen in the second half to retain his seat for 2017.
At the start of 2017, Palmer was told that if he was able to match or beat his new team mate Nico Hulkenberg, that he would get re-signed by Renault for 2018. This has not been the case however, and the 26 year old has been dominated by the German in the first 11 races, having scored zero points to 26.
The competition that he faces for his seat in 2018 does not help his situation, with Robert Kubica, Carlos Sainz Jr, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso and Oliver Rowland all being linked to a place at the team next year.
“Honestly I have no idea who it will be,” Hulkenberg told the press in Belgium, when asked who he thinks his team mate will be next season.
Desperate to improve his performances of 2017, Palmer refused to write off his chances of turning his year around: “Last year the second half of the season was better than the first, and that’s what I need now,” he said. “I know I can do it and the car is now more competitive than before. So that’s what I have to do.
“The situation is the same for me as it was last year, when I also did not think about the following season but instead concentrated on racing and getting good results,” Palmer added.
Palmer is one of two full-time drivers this season who have not yet scored a point in 2017 (the other being Marcus Ericsson), although he has come close to finishing inside the top ten at the Monaco, Canadian and Austrian Grand Prix.
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