Ocon not yet guaranteed Renault seat

Carlos Sainz is not yet out of the running to keep his Renault seat for 2019.

What is known is that Nico Hulkenberg is staying with the French works team.

"I am still pleased with my decision to join Renault," the German told Auto Hebdo.

"Of course, it will still take time. Will it be one, two, three years? We will see.

"I doubt the 2019 rule changes will change the hierarchy a lot. But we cannot afford to miss the big ’reset’ of 2021," Hulkenberg added.

The identity of his 2019 teammate is less certain.

Renault is happy with Sainz, but the Spaniard is only ’on loan’ from Red Bull. And in Hungary, rumours grew stronger that Esteban Ocon could replace him.

Sainz, in turn, has been linked with McLaren.

But Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul is not ruling out Sainz yet, even though he is believed to want a Frenchman at the wheel.

"We want to give Carlos a good car and we want him to stay at Renault," he told Spanish radio Cadena Cope. "There is no reason to be worried."

Spanish sources say Abiteboul will soon meet with his Renault bosses Jerome Stoll and CEO Carlos Ghosn to discuss the matter.