Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff says the situation surrounding the future of junior driver Esteban Oc🦩on♐ remains “really complicated".

The takeover of the rebranded Racing Point Force India team by Canadian businessman Lawrence Stroll has left Ocon’s future with the Silverstone squad in doubt, with Williams driver Lance Stroll set to partner Sergio Perez in a reshuffled driver line-up, possibly as early as this month's Russian Grand Prix.

Mercedes has since been searching alternative teams to place its protégé in, wit🅠h Ocon understood to have been on the verge of s𓆉igning for Renault before the French manufacturer instead opted for Daniel Ricciardo.

McLaren was then targeted as a possible option, only for the Woking squad to announce it will promote its own young driver Lando Norris into the team as 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Stoffel Vandoorne’s replacement for 2019.

“On drivers, the situation is really comp🐽licated,” Wolff sai🦩d during the Italian Grand Prix weekend. “Obviously with Esteban, it looked like we had a deal with Renault. And within 48 hours, things changed.

“Agreements suddenly were not ag🌸reements any more. But I can understand the rationale of Re🤡nault getting Ricciardo on board.

“It’s just the way that things panned out was not ideal for Est🐷eban, and it would be really a shame if a timing issue or intransparent communication would be a reason for such a kid with ability not to find the right seat for next year.”

A straight swap to replace Stroll at Williams could offer the Frenchman a saving grace, but even that scenario is not without complications as reserve driver Robert Kubica’s contract stipu🦩lates he would b🦋e first in line to fill any void left by Stroll.

A full-time 2019 drive with the Grove-based outfit would not be off the cards for Ocon, though that would provide Mercedes with an additional dilemma over what it does with fellow junior George Russell shou𓄧ld he end up winning the Formula 2 Championship he currently leads. Rules prevent the current champion from contesting a further year in the series.

The same lack of available seats forced Mercedes to place ex-Manor and Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein, who was a contender to replace Nico Rosberg following his retire💦ment at the end of 2016, back in DTM for its final year competing in the premier class of the German touring car championship this season.

Wolff remains confident Ocon’s long-term prospects in F1 remain positive, though he admitsꦉ he is beginning to question the role of the Mercedes young driver programme with roadblocks to F1 continuing to emerge.

“My long-term perspective on him [Ocon] is still very optimistic,” Wolff added. “He can drive, and he has a great personality, and eventually he’s going to bꦯe in a car that wins races and maybe a championship.

“You know fundamentally why we do this is we take great enjoyment in helping young talent who lack the finances. But if our support work💯s until Formula 1 but is then detrimental to the guys having the right seats you need to consider thܫese things.

“If you can’t find a place for them in Formula 1 it doesn’t make a lot o⛦f sense and that would be a shame in terms of the driver level in F1. I will discuss that with the board and with the management at the end of the year depending what the outcome is for George, Pascal and Eꦛsteban.”

Ocon, who 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:received praise from world champions Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel after starring in a wet qualifying 💫session at Spa before scori𒊎ng his fifth points finish in the last six races at Monza, says he trusts in Mercedes to ensure he remains on the grid.

“I have the🔯 support from Mercedes that is what I see at the moment,” he explained. “They are helping me and pushing flat out to find a solution for me to have a seat for next year. That is what I see so far so they have always been making good decisions and I have always trusted them so it is still the case.”