Motorsport: Hartley set for remainder of season

Kiwi Brendon Hartley is set to compete in the final three rounds of the Formula 1 season with Toro Rosso.

Sky Sport UK is reporting the New Zealander and young Frenchman Pierre Gasly will drive for the team at this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix as well as the penultimate round in Brazil and the finale at Abu Dhabi.

They are also reporting that Russian Daniil Kvyat, who finished 10th with the team last week in Austin, has been told he won't return and that he's free to secure a drive elsewhere.

It is a huge shot in the arm for Hartley's chances of bagging a fulltime drive with the Red Bull-backed outfit next year.

Toro Rosso boss Helmut Marko was quoted by Auto Bild as saying: "Kvyat will not return again.

"We do not believe he can make the turnaround in the long term.

"Gasly and Hartley are finishing the season. Then we'll see what happens."

The 27-year-old impressed on debut last week, finishing 13th and setting some impressive lap times.

Toro Rosso began the season with Kvyat and Carlos Sainz Jr, with the pair contesting the first 14 races before the Russian was dropped in favour of Gasly in Malaysia and Japan.

Sainz's move to Renault saw Kvyat return for Austin while Gasly skipped the US Grand Prix to try and win the Super Formula championship in Japan allowing Hartley to make his debut.