Wehrlein growing impatient over cloudy future

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Pascal Wehrlein still doesn't have a clear picture of his future, although he hopes he will remain in F1 next year.

The Sauber driver arrived in Austin this week right on his 23rd birthday but had no gifts or good news waiting for him in Texas as talks continue behind closed doors for the Mercedes protégé.

"There is nothing new," Wehrlein said, although he confirmed that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was still in contact with Williams regarding a seat which appears more and more likely to go to either Robert Kubica or Paul di Resta.

Ericsson gives the skinny on why Wehrlein is four tenths faster

"I just hope to know what I am doing before the last race in Abu Dhabi," he said.

Wehrlein could be pushed out of Sauber by Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc, while Marcus Ericsson is in the running for the second seat.

But it is believed new Sauber boss Frederic Vasseur would actually prefer Wehrlein to stay, even if Ericsson is closely linked to the team's owners.

Indeed, Swede Ericsson admitted in Austin that his future is not clear either.

"When you don't have a contract signed, you can never be comfortable in formula one," he said.

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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.