“I’ve been pushing flat-out for months now to get in," former GP2 champion says after clinching race seat
Tuesday 27 October 2015 17:25, UK
Jolyon Palmer says he’s “happy, relieved and proud” to finally graduate to F1, after a season spent warming the subs bench at Lotus.
The 24-year-old, last year's GP2 champion, was announced as Pastor Maldonado's team-mate on Friday - what had seemed a vexing day for Palmer as the stormy conditions which struck the Circuit of The Americas prevented a promised practice outing.
Yet as the rain clouds gathered there eventually proved a silver lining for Palmer, who will join fellow Brits Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button on the 2016 grid - while a fourth, in the shape of Manor's Will Stevens, may yet also be confirmed.
"I've been pushing flat-out for months now to get in. It's been edging closer and closer and I've been hearing more and more good bits of news. And then, finally, its come together," he said.
Palmer said he had entered the frame after Romain Grosjean's decision to leave for the new Haas team - a move he admitted he "didn't see coming at all".
That might have something to do with the feeling that the Frenchman was ideally placed to spearhead the team should Renault buy them back - a deal that is still awaiting completion.
"Since the summer break, it's been very tough for the whole team. But I knew the Renault talks were ongoing," Palmer explained.
"I don't really know inside the minds of the Renault bosses or even the shareholders here; whether there's something, even if Renault doesn't happen.
"I've just had to have faith that something was going to happen. The team's too good not to be doing anything next year."
Palmer said that, growing up, he had always supported the underdog - "not Schumacher basically, or Mika Hakkinen, someone else to win" - and could attract a similar following unless Renault gets its act together.
Assuming the French manufacturer completes the takeover, the Enstone team would appear to be making a backward step from Mercedes power. Yet Palmer is "hopeful the car's going to be strong and I can show what I can do. Now I'm in Formula 1, I want to be fighting at the sharp end.
"Hopefully next year we can be up and running straightaway and fighting for points and maybe more."
He added: "It's been a long time coming. Winning GP2 this time last year, I was ready to be racing Formula 1 and I was pushing flat-out.
"Then it didn't happen, so I was in Formula 1 as a third driver - but that's not every driver's dream.
"But I've been working so long and so hard to make this happen. I'm really happy, relieved, proud, everything.
"I'm looking forward to racing. Let's see what happens."
