Brendon Hartley: 'Silly' to comment on Lando Norris replacement
Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver Brendon Hartley says it would be "silly" for him to comment on "rumours" that his team has investigated replacing him with McLaren junior Lando Norris
Hartley has had a difficult start to his first full season in F1, scoring one point while team-mate Pierre Gasly has 18 from the first six races of the campaign.
Rumours began swirling after April's Azerbaijan Grand Prix that Hartley could lose his drive, which he denied.
It then emerged earlier this week that McLaren had rejected an offer from Toro Rosso, which wanted to replace Hartley with Formula 2 leader Norris.
Asked about the Norris reports by Autosport ahead of this weekend's Canadian GP, Hartley insisted it was just speculation.
"I think it's silly for me to comment on rumours because that's all they are," Hartley said.
"I know what my contract says, I am very confident in the work that I've been doing behind the scenes with Toro Rosso to develop the car.
"Things didn't really go my way in Monaco in qualifying, but I felt very strong all weekend.
"Looking forward to hopefully putting a good weekend in place - but I don't think it makes a lot of sense to comment on rumour. There always seems to be rumours in Formula 1.
"Like I said, I know what my contract says and I know the work that I've been doing behind the scenes. I know I have the ability to be here and do a good job in Formula 1."
Hartley said that he has not yet discussed the reports with team principal Franz Tost, adding: "I'm focused on this weekend, it doesn't even make sense for me to have the conversation."
Toro Rosso has scored points in only three of the six races so far, with Gasly's surprise fourth-place finish in Bahrain contributing more than half the team's current tally.
Hartley, who outqualified his team-mate in two of the six 2018 GP weekends, believes his pace this year has not been reflected in his results.
"Obviously things haven't gone perfectly to plan, we've only scored points in one race, many of those races we didn't have, by far, points-to-score races," he said.
"Pierre only scored points in two races, which in different circumstances I could have as well, but there's no reason why I can't turn it around.
"People seem to forget very quickly in Formula 1 and only remember the last event, so hopefully it will be a different headline after this weekend."
Previous article
Formula 1: Villeneuve to drive father's 1978 Ferrari in Canada
Next article
Promoted: Infiniti Engineering Academy Canada 2018 winner revealed
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Brendon Hartley , Lando Norris |
| Author | Edd Straw |
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping
Why Tsunoda can become Japan’s greatest F1 talent
While Japan's fever for motor racing is well-documented, the country has yet to produce a Formula 1 superstar – but that could be about to change, says BEN EDWARDS
Why the demise of F1's hypocritical spending habit is cause for celebration
For too long, F1's richest teams have justified being able to spend as much as they want because that's the way they've always conducted their business. STUART CODLING says that's no reason not to kick a bad habit
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is not guaranteed
The diva that stole a march on F1’s wide-bodied opposition
In 2017 new F1 technical regulations were supposed to add drama - and peg Mercedes back. STUART CODLING looks at the car which, while troubled, set the stage for the wide-bodied Formula 1 era
The themes to watch in F1’s Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. BEN ANDERSON looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
