F1 career not over yet?
AUCKLAND: New Zealand motorsport expert Bob McMurray believes Brendon Hartley still may have some sort of future in Formula One.
It was confirmed yesterday that Hartley was to be replaced in the Toro Rosso team after just over a year in the competition.
Hartley, who picked up just four championship points this season, has lost his seat to ThaiBritish driver Alexander Albon.
McMurray, who spent four decades with McLaren, says Formula One is cruel and Hartley’s downfall was that he was generally unable to compete with his teammate Pierre Gasly, who is being promoted to Red Bull next year.
Hartley drove the new Honda engine at Toro Rosso this year and that engine will be used by Red Bull next year.
McMurray is therefore a little surprised that Hartley would be leaving Formula One completely.
‘‘I would think they [Toro RossoRed Bull], or any team, would desperately want to keep Brendon Hartley on their books, even Williams or McLaren, to help develop the car, but Formula One is a fairly cruel sport.
‘‘Brendon has a huge amount of knowledge and a huge amount of experience that I think would be an asset to almost any Formula One team.’’
McMurray says Hartley’s options outside of Formula One in 2019 will also be limited.
He does believe Indycars will be an option, as he believes Hartley actually signed to be Scott Dixon’s teammate before being offered the F1 drive.
‘‘It is quite likely that that will be an option for him there. There are still a few drives available in Indycars, but Dixon’s Chip Ganassi team has finalised their lineup.
‘‘At this time of year, as is Formula One now, a lot of the seats are filled, so he’ll have to find a seat in wherever he goes, as a lot of the seats in a lot of the Formula’s are already filled up for next year.’’
Hartley is yet to comment on his axing.