

Roberto Merhi looks set to hang onto his Manor seat at least for another race.

While his F1 rivals take the weekend off, 24-year-old Merhi is currently in his native Spain, preparing for the opening race of the Formula Renault 3.5 series.

But EFE news agency quoted the Spaniard as indicating he is also expecting to return to the wheel of his Manor car and keep "improving gradually".

Merhi also said he hopes Manor "gives me a good car as soon as possible".

He has struggled against his full-time Manor teammate Will Stevens so far in 2015, admitting that it has been difficult to cope with the "huge" differences between his car and those he is competing against.

"It almost seems a little unfair that all the different cars compete together," he added, explaining that Formula Renault races are "more of a sprint" compared to F1, and that much of the racing at the pinnacle of motor sport is about "saving the tyres".

And Formula Renault 3.5, Merhi continued, can also be more fun, "because with my Formula 1 car I am always observing the blue flags".

After Formula Renault 3.5's opening Spanish round, the next race falls on the same weekend as the Monaco Grand Prix.

Both take place on the streets of the Principality.