Mick Schumacher has played down a new link between himself and the Renault-owned works Formula 1 team Alpine.
Some think the 23-year-old German could potentially rescue his F1 career if he is ousted by Haas by moving to Alpine - especially as the two sides reportedly now follow one another on social media.
"I think there’s a lot of people focusing on this one follow, but I follow every Formula 1 team boss who has an account," Schumacher told Sky Deutschland at Spa.
There’s no doubt, however, that replacing the Aston Martin-bound Fernando Alonso at Alpine would be a good move for the German in the wake of his early performance struggles in 2022.
"If he can make a leap to a team like Alpine, then that would of course be ideal for him to take the next step," said former F1 driver Timo Glock.
But Haas boss Gunther Steiner says it’s premature to conclude that Schumacher is definitely leaving the American team.
"Everyone assumes that Mick won’t be here next year but that’s not true," he said in Belgium. "Everything is still open.
"Of course I am watching the market as this is my job, but I would need a second team if I was going to sign everyone who they say I am going to sign."
At the same time, contracted 2023 Alpine driver Esteban Ocon would not be unhappy if the French team did indeed sign Schumacher.
"I’m sure they got hundreds of calls but I’m not involved in this at all," Ocon told RMC.
"I would like Mick to be with me, that’s for sure, because he is a good friend. But I’m not going to whisper it in the boss’s ear.
"If that’s what they decide, then it would be great."
Schumacher, meanwhile, is keeping the Haas door open, insisting he is "certainly satisfied" with his current place in Formula 1.
"Our goal is of course to score points in the next races," he said. "For the future, I’ll say what’s up as soon as I know. We’ve had our ups and downs, but I think we enjoy the good ones and learn from the ones that weren’t so good."