Renault has announced the departure of Jolyon Palmer at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, with Carlos Sainz to join the team from the US Grand Prix.

In a brief statement issued this afternoon the French team said that it and Jolyon Palmer have decided by mutual agreement to end their relationship following the Japanese Grand Prix. 2018 driver Carlos Sainz will now join the team early to drive for the remainder of this season.

"I would like to thank Jolyon for his commitment to the team and his professionalism," said Cyril Abiteboul, Renault Sport Racing Managing Director. "Since Renault's return to Formula 1, Jolyon has been highly dedicated in an evolving environment. He has shown great personal qualities and we wish him all the best in his future career."

"The Japanese Grand Prix will be my last race for Renault," added Palmer. "It's been an extremely challenging season and I've been through a lot in the last three years, but it's been a tremendous journey overall with the team. I can look back proudly at the performance in the second half of last season, my first point in Malaysia and of course reaching a career high of sixth place in Singapore this year. I wish the team all the best for the future. My immediate focus is now on achieving the best possible result in the Japanese GP, and then I can assess my options for the future."

Check out our Saturday gallery from Suzuka, here.