Jolyon Palmer has dismissed suggestions that he is in danger of imminently losing his Renault seat to Carlos Sainz Jr., and insists he will see out the remainder of the Formula 1 season.
Sainz Jr. has been linked with a switch to Renault, perhaps as early as the Malaysian Grand Prix, as part of the engine negotiations between the French company, McLaren, Honda, Red Bull and Toro Rosso.
Palmer, though, has rubbished the idea that Singapore could be his last Grand Prix, and insists he will pilot the R.S.17 through to the season-ending event in Abu Dhabi.
“I have a contract,” insisted Palmer, who has not scored a point in 2017.
“I’ve got seven more races this year.
“There have been suggestions for I think 35 races that I might not be in the next one, or in the next few.
“This is nothing new to me. It’s water off a duck’s back now. I think most races this year it’s been the case and nothing’s changed.
“As I said, I’ve got seven races to do. I’ll be in Malaysia and I’ll be racing to Abu Dhabi.”
Palmer stressed that he is not allowing background discussions to distract him from on-track performance.
“I’m just focused on doing the job that I’m doing, so I try not to pay any attention to that sort of thing,” he said of rumours.
“I have seven races this year to try to do the best I can.
“Obviously it’s been a little bit of a tough year, I think the last two races have been much better, even if they didn’t show in the end, the performance has been I think there or thereabouts.
“Hopefully the car will be better on these tracks and we can finally get some points.”
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