Tost: Hartley still in the running for 2019, but needs to do more

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For the various contenders of the second Toro Rosso seat alongside Daniil Kvyat next year, the chips should fall after the close of the 2018 season.

The 24-year-old Russian will make his return to F1 in 2019 after over a year on the sidelines, while Brendon Hartley and F2 racer Alexander Albon are the most likely candidates to race alongside Kvyat.

Hartley has been pulling out the stops lately in a bid to save his drive, but team boss Franz Tost said the Kiwi still hasn't convinced him to keep him onboard for a second season.

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"He showed a good race in Austin. But nevertheless, if you look at the results, he has four points, Pierre has 28 points," Tost said.

"That means he has to improve his performance if he wants to stay in the team."

Albon, a former member of Red Bull's junior programme, was approached by the energy drink company's motorsport boss Helmut Marko, but his contractual situation with Nissan, for whom he is to race in Formula E, would require a full release, and negotiations are still ongoing.

In any case, a final resolution is unlikely until after the last race of the season at Yas Marina.

"First of all, you have to finish the season to get a clear picture," Tost told Crash.net.

"Then I assume in December, Red Bull will decide the driver line-up of Toro Rosso."

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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.