Esteban Ocon says he remains linked with Mercedes, even though he has just signed a new three-year contract extension with Renault-owned Alpine.
The Frenchman has been a Mercedes junior for years, with Toto Wolff still heavily involved in the management of his career.
And although he will be an Alpine driver "through and through" for the next three years, Ocon confirmed that he will retain his "connections to Mercedes" as well.
"Having this stability at Alpine now is something I always wished for," the 24-year-old said at Paul Ricard.
"It’s a big step in my career and a big burden off my shoulders. I no longer need to worry about whether I can continue to be a Formula 1 driver.
"So the situation is that for the next three years I will be a full Alpine driver. All of my work is connected with Alpine and only with Alpine," Ocon clarified.
"I will not have any interaction with the Mercedes team but of course that are still some connections with them."