Mercedes driver George Russell also opened up on ongoing talks between his team and Max Verstappen, suggesting the Brackley outfit's significant interest.

The idea of Max Verstappen joining Mercedes would have seemed outlandish when he fought Lewis Hamilton in the contentious title decider in 2021.

Both Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli are out of contract at the end of the year, but with a sprint race pole position and Grand Prix podium already under his belt, the rookie is likely to earn at least one more year in the Mercedes stable. This would leave the four-time race winner in a challenging position.