Renault has officially confirmed it has retained Jolyon Palmer for the 2017 Formula One season.
The Briton was initially seen as a dark horse candidate to partner Nico Hulkenberg, with current team-mate Kevin Magnussen and reserve driver Esteban Ocon seen as higher up on Renault’s wishlist.
However, with the Dane agreeing on a multi-year deal with Haas F1 Team and the Frenchman poised for a switch to Force India, Palmer emerged as the top candidate for the French manufacturer’s second seat.
Following earlier reports, Renault announced the 25-year-old will drive for its works team in 2017.
“I’m over the moon to be racing with Renault Sport Formula One Team for a second season and I can’t wait to reward the team’s faith in me on track,” said Palmer, who is currently competing in his rookie season.
“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 currently sits 17th in the Drivers’ standings, having scored one championship point with 10th place at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
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