Pascal Wehrlein's F1 future is in jeopardy!

Pascal Wehrlein's future in F1 appears to be far from guaranteed, with an extension of his stay at Sauber in 2018 very unlikely.

Thanks to his close relationship to Sauber's owners, Marcus Ericsson has a very good chance of remaining with the Swiss outfit.

But the team's extension of its contract with Ferrari also implies that the Scuderia will likely place either Antonio Giovinazzi or Charles Leclerc at Sauber.

Pascal Wehrlein would then find himself as the odd man out, with few opportunities remaining for the German driver next season.

"I have scored all five points," Wehrlein told Bild.

"And in qualifying it is 8:2 for me against Ericsson. What more can I do?"

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One possibility could however emerge for the Mercedes protégé.

If Renault are successful in their quest to secure the services of Esteban Ocon, who is high on the French team's short-list for 2018, this would obviously free-up a seat at Force India.

It remains to be seen however if Mercedes would be keen to let Ocon go, as the 20-year-old French charger, who has been very impressive this season, is also a member of the Mercedes family.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.