Brendon Hartley has reportedly been told of Toro Rosso’s decision to drop him at the end of 2018, reports claim.
The Kiwi has long been on a tightrope at the junior Red Bull team with efforts made to replace him as far back as June given his lack of results.
Though key figures have maintained he can still keep his seat if performances improve, there has been no secret of the attempts to sign Alexander Albon, though talks are continuing with Nissan as the British-Thai had signed a two-year contract to race in Formula E.
Also Read:
There has been signs of discontent between Hartley and Toro Rosso too, with comments after the US Grand Prix responding to Helmut Marko’s suggestion that the former WEC champion needs to beat teammate Pierre Gasly.
“I feel like I have gotten stronger through the season,” he said. “I showed it in Austin [finishing ahead] even if the press release said there was something wrong with the other car.”
Asked to clarify that claim in Mexico though, the 28-year-old declined, stating he had been banned from doing so.