Toto Wolff has backtracked after saying Nico Rosberg might return to F1 from retirement.
In Montreal, Mercedes chief Wolff said he would "not be surprised" if the German was lured to "Ferrari or someone else" in the future.
Rosberg hit back: "No, I really have finished my career."
Now, Wolff has clarified his original comments, saying he had simply answered a journalist’s question about whether he would be surprised if Rosberg came back.
"I would be even more surprised if he is back in formula one again next year," he told the German broadcaster Sky.
"You can see how stories like this are created in formula one," Wolff added.