Motorsport: Hartley's Formula One future yet to be revealed

Brendon Hartley. Photo / Getty Images

The mystery over Brendon Hartley's future as part of the greater Red Bull racing team is set to be cleared up this week.

Hartley was released from the Red Bull junior development team last week, though it is not yet known if the 20-year-old will continue his testing role with the Formula One arm of the Austrian-owned team.

Hartley's manager Peter Johnston remained tight-lipped when contacted by the Herald on Sunday, promising a full disclosure next week.

"We cannot comment until a few things are sorted," he said. "A lot of things are up in the air. The whole thing is very political. We are not in a position to say anything and we have to be very careful what we do say and so we are better to say nothing."

Johnston's comments appear to add to the intrigue surrounding Hartley at the moment, who has been heavily involved in the development of the new RB7 car.

It has been suggested previously that there is some internal friction at Red Bull, with the Milton-Keynes based Formula One team at odds with the power brokers in Austria.

Formula One expert Bob McMurray agrees there are some curious aspects to Hartley's removal, coming during the summer break of the Formula Renault Series where the Kiwi was coming sixth; not as well as had been hoped.

"You don't give someone the sack halfway through the season - especially when he is doing other things apart from driving in that 3.5-litre class. That to me says there are other things going on apart from just Brendon failing to perform.

"I think it is an internal Red Bull politics thing which may or may not have something to do with who runs the team in F1."

McMurray also suspects that, after his prominent role in the testing and development at Red Bull, Hartley would have no shortage of suitors among rival Formula One operations.

"He would be leaving - I assume - with a great many secrets that made that Red Bull car quick. He would know how to set it up. If his simulator performance has been anything like we are hearing that it is, he must be reasonably hot property for somebody I would have thought - even if on a short-term contract."

Like his management team, Hartley has said little on the events of last week.

He told a motorsport website that "the F1 dream is still there and I am going to fight for it. The last year hasn't gone well, so a change of environment could be good for me."

The Palmerston North-born Hartley stressed he had no axe to grind with Red Bull. "They have given me a lot and I'm not bitter."

Hartley joined the Red Bull junior development programme in 2006. Only four drivers now remain from the 20 recruited over the years.