Mercedes' door open for Ricciardo - Wolff

Toto Wolff is not ruling out the prospect of signing Daniel Ricciardo to a deal at Mercedes for the 2019 season, if the chance arises. Ricciardo reportedly has the pick of seats at Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes as his contract expires at the end of this season.

Silver Arrows team boss Wolff was quoted recently suggesting that he was not looking outside of his current drivers for Mercedes' 2019 line-up.

Both Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton are out of contract at the end of the year, although the reigning champion has been expected to sign a new deal throughout the early months of the season.

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Wolff also suggested that Esteban Ocon, on loan at Force India, and GP3 champion George Russell would be ahead of Ricciardo in the pecking order, but he has now rowed back on that, potentially opening the door to negotiations with the Australian.

"It was not entirely correct as a translation," Wolff told Sky Sports. "I said that we would be very loyal to the group of drivers that are associated to Mercedes, our current Mercedes drivers and the kindergarten, in assessing next year.

"But, of course, you have to assess other drivers and Daniel is definitely one of the ones we'd be considering and looking at.

"Loyalty goes first and then we would be looking over the fence."

Bottas was a short-notice replacement for Nico Rosberg in 2017, but earned another crack at a season with Mercedes thanks to some excellent early-season performances.

The Finn has once again looked good in the first four races of 2018, although his fortune has not matched, with a puncture robbing him of victory in Baku last time out - allowing Hamilton to cruise to an unlikely success which put him top of the drivers' standings.

"I think it is pretty even between the two and Valtteri is giving Lewis a run for his money but that is good for us," Wolff said.

"He could have won two grands prix this season and he is good here again this Friday [in Spain] so he looks like a more than solid pair of hands."