Rumours the Swiss team Sauber could become a junior platform for Ferrari are gaining strength.
New boss Frederic Vasseur’s first task at Sauber was scrapping the planned 2018 engine deal with Honda, replacing it instead with a new arrangement to use the up-to-date Ferrari power unit next year.
At the same time, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne is quoted by Italy’s Autosprint as saying: "We have to find a place to lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s Ferrari."
Earlier, Marchionne has spoken about setting up a satellite Ferrari team, perhaps to be branded as Alfa Romeo.
As for Sauber, boss Vasseur seems open to reserving at least one seat for one of the Ferrari juniors Antonio Giovinazzi or Charles Leclerc for 2018.
"It would be quite useful for Sauber to have someone like Leclerc as a driver," Speed Week quotes the Frenchman as saying.
Indeed, Monaco-born Leclerc impressed when testing the 2017 Ferrari in Hungary recently, and both the 19-year-old and Giovinazzi have subsequently been in action to help Pirelli with 2018 tyre testing in Barcelona.
Leclerc was quoted by Italy’s Autosprint as saying afterwards: "I feel ready for formula one."