Will Renault take up Magnussen option?

Will Renault take up their option to extend Kevin Magnussen’s contract for the 2017 Formula One World Championship?

The 2016 season was always going to be a year of transition for Renault, after buying shares from Lotus and returning to the sport as a fully fledged manufacturer.

The car itself was designed with the a Mercedes power-unit in mind and there has been limited development of the car as the team moved through the processes of the takeover.

That position has been highlighted by the results with Kevin Magnussen’s finish of seventh at the Russian Grand Prix the teams only points paying finish.

Jolyon Palmer’s debut season has seen an 11th place finish on debut as his best result.

So will Renault be looking to maintain their driver line-up for 2017 or will they be taking a close look at 19-year-old Esteban Ocon? Ocon was Renault’s reserve driver for 2016 but has since replaced Rio Haryanto at Manor.

He has an impressive CV, during his years in the junior formulas he has won races in Formula Renault 2.0, the FIA European Formula 3 Championship where he won the 2014 title and in GP3 where he won that championship in 2015.

But whilst Renault have clear options for next season, Kevin Magnussen appears content with his position within the team.

‘Renault has an option on me for 2017 and they can choose me if they want to, That is where I am at at the moment. Unless you have a long-term contract set for many years you can never be sure in Formula 1, but I feel like I have done my best and when I look back I don’t feel there is much I could have done better. No matter what happens I feel like I have done my best. he told Sky Sports.

‘I’m fairly positive, I am starting to look forward to next year even though I am not sure.’

‘They want a fast driver who can lead the team and that is what I am trying to be,’