Ex-Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer will continue to have the support of his former Renault team as he looks for the next step in his racing career, managing director Cyril Abiteboul has claimed.
The Briton was replaced by Carlos Sainz after the Japanese Grand Prix last year, following a very difficult season which had seen the former GP2 champion struggle against new teammate Nico Hulkenberg and only score points once at the dramatic race in Singapore.
Since then there has been no word on where Palmer will race in 2018 and his former boss acknowledges it is a difficult time for the 26-year-old, of whom he still rates as a high calibre driver.
"I think it's fair to say Jo and his family are not in complete control of the next steps and their future," Abiteboul told Autosport. "We did try to look at options, I don't think [his father] Jonathan or Jo would challenge the fact we've been extremely helpful - the best we could.
"Anything we can do to help Jo we will do because I really think he deserves to be in a world-class championship."
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The most likely option was thought to be a switch to Formula E, where Renault has a strong presence, however: "I think there was maybe a timing issue," the Frenchman suggested.
"Maybe we could have developed something if there could have been an earlier buying into the process from all involved, but that's not happened so far."
