Hartley told: Improve or your job is in jeopardy

Struggling New Zealand Formula 1 driver Brendon Hartley is under orders to improve, or risk losing his job, with Toro Rosso having 10 options for next year.

Hartley’s first full season in the pinnacle environment has been tough, netting just two points from 14 races.

While the promotion of teammate Pierre Gasly to the senior Red Bull team for 2019 appeared a lifeline for Hartley at Toro Rosso, it is clear there is mounting pressure on the 28-year-old from Palmerston North.

‘‘There has to be a big improvement in the last few races of the season,’’ Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko said of Hartley, in an interview with Speedweek yesterday.

Austrian Marko, who heads Red Bull’s driver development programme, ruled out changes over the back end of the current season, but confirmed they were eyeing options for next year.

‘‘For 2019 there is no shortlist, but a long list. There are 10 names on there, one with a contract at Mercedes, which is why it probably won’t be him. But everything is possible.’’

Hartley has been under pressure all year in this toughest of settings after making the move from endurance racing to F1. He lies 19th on the championship table. Luck hasn’t always gone his way, with his latest disaster coming at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, where he got squeezed at the start and lost his front-right wheel. That was his fourth retirement of the season. His run of finishes reads: 15, 17, 20, 10, 12, 19, 14, 10, 11, 14.