Palmer: 'Definitely good potential from me and the car'

As F1 is called back to action at Spa this weekend, Jolyon Palmer is focused on reversing his fortunes after a challenging first half of the season.

The Renault driver has yet to score a top-ten finish this year, his level of performance clearly trailing that of team mate Nico Hulkenberg.

Pressure has been building for Palmer who has been warned by Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul that concrete results will be required in order for the 26-year-old to be considered for 2018.

For Palmer, F1's summer break was a welcomed respite.

"It was good to have a bit of chill out time and recharge a little bit," he admitted.

"I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro which was very tough but also highly rewarding. It was nice to be cut off from the world for a week and see a change of scenery, but I’m ready to get back to work again."

• Palmer holds the cards to his future - Abiteboul

Looking back on the first eleven races, Palmer acknowledges his under-performance but also believes his motivation to succeed going forward remains intact.

"It’s been challenging, but there is definitely good potential from me and the car," he says.

"The 2017 regulations mean a car that’s very different from before, so you have to relearn how to extract the maximum performance from it.

"Getting the right set-up is difficult and this is compounded when you miss out on track time for whatever reason.

"I’m looking forward and focusing on my own performance and I’m working hard to understand everything to ensure I have good races."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter