Palmer says Kubica no threat for 2017

Jolyon Palmer says he is keeping his Renault seat for the rest of 2017.

Former F1 star Robert Kubica is in Hungary this weekend, where after the race he will test Renault’s 2017 car at the circuit near Budapest.

It has raised speculation to fever-pitch that Renault intends to dump struggling Briton Palmer during the summer break.

But Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul has been quoted as saying that Palmer will in fact be racing at Spa in August.

"It is not foreseen that there will be a change in our position in the short term," he is quoted by the German broadcaster RTL.

"And even if the test for Robert goes well, it does not mean we automatically choose him for 2018," Abiteboul added.

And Palmer said in Hungary that Abiteboul has also assured him personally that his seat is safe for now.

"My boss has told me they’re not planning on putting Kubica in the car," he said.

"He (Abiteboul) called me to tell me Robert is testing, which is fine. I can understand why. I lose a (test) day but I get a longer holiday and I come back refreshed for Spa," Palmer added.