Mexican driver expected to remain at Force India for next season
Monday 19 September 2016 14:28, UK
Renault's chances of landing one of F1's more experienced drivers appear to be fading as the final pieces of the 2017 driver market fall into place.
The French manufacturer are reported to have targeted Force India's Sergio Perez and Williams' Valtteri Bottas for 2017, but both drivers appear increasingly likely to stay at their respective teams.
Manor's Esteban Ocon, who is on Mercedes' books and served as Renault's reserve driver earlier in the season, is favourite to return to Enstone to take one of the two seats.
That would leave Renault incumbents Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen fighting over one position, with neither driver yet sure if he will be retained.
Perez, whose stock has risen over the past 12 months, had appeared Renault's top target, but the Mexican is set to continue at Force India into a fourth season - even if he was not yet able to confirm his plans ahead of this weekend's Singapore GP.
"I was hoping to be able to be in a position to announce my plans this weekend but obviously we got delays," Perez said in Thursday's Drivers' Press Conference.
"I really hope that before the next race we can definitely announce where I'll be racing. I always say I'll be very happy is everything if fine for me to stay where I am."
Force India chief Otmar Szafnauer told Sky F1 at the Italian GP that Perez had signed a contract for 2017 and, asked for his reaction to that statement, Perez said at Monza: "I've been saying for the last month or so that I'm very happy where I am and I've already made up my mind, so I think what Otmar says is quite correct."
The hold-up in an official announcement is likely to relate to Perez's Mexican backers concluding their own negotiations with the team.
Meanwhile, with Felipe Massa retiring at the end of the season, Williams are expected to retain Bottas to partner their eventual new arrival.
Renault have repeatedly said they will decide on their 2017 line-up by the end of this month, but neither Palmer nor Magnussen appeared any the wiser in Singapore on Thursday.
