Jolyon Palmer is fighting for Formula One survival at Renault – but his father, Jonathan, believes he should be given another chance after impressive drives in his past two outings.
Palmer is having a difficult rookie season at the troubled Renault but scored his first F1 point when he finished 10th in the Malaysia Grand Prix at the start of the month, and he followed that with an impressive drive to finish 12th in Japan a week later.
Jonathan Palmer, 59, who competed in F1 between 1983-89, said: “It was a great performance to come 12th in Japan because everyone finished the race. The Renault management told me that was his best performance of the year.
“He certainly deserves to be in Formula One next year, and with a competitive team. And if he is he could be another British Formula One star, someone who could take over from Jenson Button.”
The seat of the former GP2 champion Palmer fell in danger after Renault confirmed Nico Hulkenberg will move across from Force India and lead the team next year in 2017. That means the remaining drive is between Palmer and his team-mate Kevin Magnussen – and it is further complicated because Renault are thought to be keen on their former reserve driver Esteban Ocon, now with Manor.
In the run-up to Sunday’s US Grand Prix, Palmer Sr added: “I thought the way Jolyon drove in Japan, to beat both McLarens and both Toro Rossos, as well as both Saubers and Manors, was really something. And he was quicker than Kevin, and to beat his team-mate was an important part of survival. And remember that Jolyon is a rookie, while for Kevin is in his second year in Formula One.
“The results we’re getting now are far better than expectations, and in Japan he was within a couple of tenths a lap of the Williams cars, which really shouldn’t have been the case.
“Remember, this year’s Renault is very much an interim car. They only took over the team in December after a very late deal with Lotus. And under the Lotus era there was very little money spent. Then they had the complication of putting a Renault engine inside it, instead of a Mercedes.”
“It’s difficult with the pressure because we’ve got to show what we can do, to try and show the bosses,” added Palmer Jr. “You can’t make any mistakes, but you can’t be too safe either, or you’re too slow, so it’s a compromise. It would be nice to be a little bit more relaxed. There’s always pressure in F1, but I know my career is on the line.”
