Renault: No reason Magnussen won’t stay on

Although Formula 1 is just three races into the new season, Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul sees "no reason" why Kevin Magnussen won't be offered a new deal.

Magnussen was handed an 11th hour recall o nto the Formula 1 grid when Renault dropped Pastor Maldonado after his sponsors failed to pay up and signed the Dane.

It has been a trying return for the driver as Renault's 2016 plans only began to fall into place in December when they purchased the Lotus team.

After three races neither Magnussen nor his rookie team-mate, Jolyon Palmer, have managed a single point with both achieving a best result of P11.

That, though, has done little to dampen Renault's opinion of Magnussen, who is likely to be offered a contract extension for 2017.

"He is our natural leader," the team's managing director Abiteboul told Danish tabloid BT.

"Kevin initially has just a one-year contract, but with the work he has done until now I see no reason why we should not continue to cooperate."