Comments by Toto Wolff hint that a sensational driver swap between Mercedes and Ferrari could be on the cards.
The Mercedes boss is not ruling out a future Mercedes seat for a German driver.
Germany’s most prominent F1 driver is Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, and Wolff admitted to Bild am Sonntag newspaper: "We are friends with the Vettel family.
"Sebastian is someone for whom I have huge respect as a driver and a person. Who knows what the future holds."
Wolff said a German driver would fit well with the Mercedes brand.
"We are a German company, Germany is our home market and the home of the brand," he said.
"At some point in Formula 1, we made the decision to put the best possible drivers in the car, uncompromisingly. But if a German driver is at that level and available, that would be nice."
At the same time, Wolff suggests that Lewis Hamilton might be lured by Ferrari.
"We talked openly about it when we signed the last contract," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Ferrari is the most prestigious brand in F1, and every driver dreams of winning a championship with them. I understand that perfectly.
"On the other hand, Mercedes has a great story and we have renewed the glories of the past, which is something Lewis is proud of.
"Nobody knows the future," Wolff said. "Personally I hope he finishes his career by winning more titles with us, but I know that everyone has the desire to wear red."