There may still be hope for Brendon Hartley after his remarkable performance in qualifying got the undivided attention Franz Tost, the Toro Rosso boss saying the Kiwi could keep his drive in 2019 if he continues to perform.
Hartley qualified sixth in Suzuka, outpacing team mate Pierre Gasly as the pair made good use of Honda's new Spec-3 engine and perfectly negotiated Saturday's tricky conditions.
Asked if the Kiwi's sudden upturn in form could convince him to keep his driver on-board next season, alongside Red Bull returnee Daniil Kvyat, Tost offered a conditional but positive outlook.
"If he's doing a good job, and if he continues like this, there's no reason to change him," the Austrian told Motorsport.com.
“Brendon is in the team, and he is improving his performance. Where we end up is a decision from Red Bull, and this we will see at the end of the season.
"The team management takes the best opportunity. If a driver has a good performance, there's no reason to get rid of him."
©ToroRosso
Hartley's weekend in Japan would be complete if his excellent work in qualifying was followed by an equally impressive performance on Sunday. And the Kiwi feels up to the task.
"I think I need to deliver and score some points. Obviously, all the controllables from my side [I have to manage]. But yeah, I feel in a good place," he said.
"I'm not thinking about next year, if that's what you're asking. I'm maintaining the stance of just focusing on the job right now. The next thing on my mind is getting a great start tomorrow."
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