"I would love to see out the season and finish what I started," Palmer tells Sky F1; Hamilton now the only Brit in Formula 1
Tuesday 17 October 2017 17:10, UK
Jolyon Palmer says it was sensible to part ways with Renault before the end of the season after the team made clear they wanted Carlos Sainz in their car.
It was announced last month that Sainz would replace Palmer at Renault in 2018. But the Spaniard's transfer has been fast-forwarded by four races with Palmer's exit made official barely 12 hours before his final event for the team at the Japanese GP.
"Carlos is signed for next year and Cyril [Abiteboul, the Renault team boss] made it clear he wanted to put him in the car this year as well," Palmer told Sky F1.
"After this race there's a couple of weeks gap and it made sense for this time to be the time that we part ways. It's a shame for me not to finish the season having been with the team a while, but I respect the decision and I wish the team all the best for the future and Carlos the best. We go in separate ways and I'll work on something else in the future."
Palmer out, Sainz in, for US GP
Sainz vows to deliver for Renault
Speculation over his future and persistent bad luck have been Palmer's unwanted companions throughout 2017 and, with the options already dwindling, it's unlikely the former GP2 champion will find another seat in F1 for next season - leaving Lewis Hamilton as the sole Brit on the grid.
"Obviously it's been a bit of a strange weekend knowing it was going to be my last race with the team, it's a shame I'm not going to Austin with them," Palmer said.
"When I'm heading back on the plane maybe it will sink in that I'm not driving for Renault again and maybe not in Formula 1 again.
"I wouldn't say there's any relief. I would love to see out the season and finish what I started. The stress levels have been huge this year, it's been a very tough season for many reasons. Each weekend coming in with question marks. I would have happily seen out the season and I think the team is in a good place.
"It's a shame but I'll move on, there's plenty of life outside of F1 out there and I'm about to find out what it is."
