Palmer is clearly lost, with no turnaround in sight

Jolyon Palmer admits that he can offer no explanation to justify his lousy performance this season at Renault.

The Brit endured a difficult start to his year with a couple of mistakes and accidents setting him back and perhaps hitting his confidence.

Monaco yielded a P11 finish just outside the points and a glimpse of hope, a result repeated last weekend in Montreal.

But time is running out for the 2014 GP2 Series champion.

"I think the pace was a bit better and if I could have started a couple of places higher, we could have gotten into the points," Palmer said about his Canadian performance.

"The race was much better again, Q2 this weekend was positive, we just need to keep working hard."

Palmer dismisses rumors to focus on performance

But Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul is putting pressure on Palmer to deliver, amid rumours a mid-season driver change - potentially involving tester Sergey Sirotkin or even Robert Kubica - might be on the cards.

"What puts pressure on is not putting in good performances," said the 26-year-old.

"The way to stop the rumours is to do well on track and hopefully I can do that."

Yet, he can't offer a rational justification for his struggles this year.

"I have no explanation," Palmer told Speed Week.

"I don't think I've done anything wrong. There are just small things that make the difference.

"I just have to drive as well as I can -- what happens on the other side of the garage doesn't matter."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.