New Zealand driver Brendon Hartley has vented his frustrations about his future in Formula One.
Brendon Hartley. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Hartley started last on the grid for this morning's US Grand Prix in Texas after his Toro Rosso team was relegated for exceeding the allowable number of engine changes this season.
However, he made the most of a first lap crash ahead of him to improve to 11th.
However post race he has been promoted to 9th after Force India's Esteban Ocon and Haas driver Kevin Magnussen were both disqualified from points positions after stewards found they had broken Formula One's fuel regulations.
Frenchman Ocon had finished eighth, with Denmark's Magnussen ninth.
The disqualifications meant Force India's Sergio Perez moved up to eighth, with Hartley up to ninth and Sauber's Marcus Ericsson taking the final point in 10th.
The stewards found that Magnussen's car had consumed more than the allowed 105kg of fuel during the race at the Circuit of the Americas.
Ocon's car exceeded the fuel mass flow limit on the opening lap of the race.
There continues to be speculation about Hartley's future with Toro Rosso after picking up just two championship points so far this season, with most commentators expecting him to be replaced for 2019.
Hartley made a brief comment after today's race.
"Obviously having to answer questions about my future every week which is getting increasingly annoying and I've read in the media that I have to beat my team-mate (Pierre Gasley) and I was ahead in Singapore until team orders, I was ahead in Russia until the car broke down, I was ahead in Suzuka in qualifying and I was ahead today, so lets see what happens."
Brendon Hartley at 2018 US grand prix Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Toro Rosso team-mate Pierre Gasley finished 12th.
Hartley was happy with his effort today.
"It was a good race, pretty happy with that, did some really good passes, great first lap, did everything I could with the pace and P 10 (10th place) was a bit far away."
"Obviously it's a bit annoying to be one place out of the points and starting last you always think what could have been."
There are three rounds remaining this season.
-RNZ/Reuters
