British driver to partner Nico Hulkenberg at French squad next year
Friday 11 November 2016 18:04, UK
Jolyon Palmer will remain at Renault for the 2017 F1 season alongside Nico Hulkenberg with Kevin Magnussen set to move to Haas.
The French squad had already signed Hulkenberg to lead the team next year, leaving current incumbents Palmer and Magnussen to battle it out for the second seat.
Paddock rumour suggested Renault favoured retaining Magnussen, despite a late surge in form from Palmer, but the Dane's expected move to Haas opened the door for Palmer to keep his seat for a second season.
"I'm over the moon to be racing with Renault for a second season and I can't wait to reward the team's faith in me on track," said Palmer.
"Having worked out of Enstone since 2015 I can fully appreciate the development of the infrastructure this year. This means I share the excitement of the team looking to 2017 and our new car.
"For me, it's been a steep learning curve driving in Formula 1 and I know that I am performing better than ever, and that there's still more to come. There is tremendous drive and enthusiasm in Enstone and Viry looking to next year and I am honoured to be part of this."
Palmer has scored one point in his 19 F1 races to date, with his solitary points finish coming in Malaysia.
"We are delighted to retain Jolyon as our driver for the 2017 season. Jolyon has shown his hunger to develop with us as the team grows and we have been impressed with his increasingly strong performances on track as the season has progressed," said Renault chief Jerome Stoll.
"We are confident that the combination of Jolyon and Nico Hulkenberg offers a very promising driving force to meet our goals. Jolyon understands the team's spirit and motivates everyone he works with. The line-up of Jolyon and Nico harnesses the benefits of continuity and fresh blood.
"I am sure that having Nico as a team-mate will help push Jolyon to greater achievements. We thank Kevin Magnussen for his efforts in 2016 as he has done a great job for us this year. We wish him all the best for 2017 and beyond."
2017 provisional schedule, test dates and driver line-ups
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