Things are a little more open than usual at Mercedes at the moment as both drivers approach the end of their contract with the manufacturer.

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas have proven to be an impressive duo over the past year, with Hamilton winning the driver's championship and Bottas taking third - his career high.

That level of success will always make things a little more difficult for the team - great drivers want great money, after all - and that has naturally led to every name under the sun being linked with Mercedes in case change is needed.

Hamilton is eventually expected to sign but whether a deal with Bottas will be reached isn't quite as clear.

The Finn plays second fiddle to his teammate throughout the season and may be tempted by top-billing elsewhere, while Mercedes themselves may decide they can get a better deal with a new driver.

Potential incomings have featured Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Hamilton's former teammate Fernando Alonso at McLaren.

Team boss Toto Wolff has commented on Alonso, labelling him a 'great driver' - although he also had some interesting words on what could have been for the Spaniard.

"I think he's [Alonso] a great driver," said Wolff. "and if the fallout of the previous relationship did not exist then I think he would have ten championships.

"F1 has become a game of relationships and a long-term strategy is needed and I think Fernando may still be suffering from things that happened ten years ago, even if he is a different person now."

Wolff is referencing Alonso's previous tenure with McLaren, having been with the team for one season in 2007.

Alonso joined the team after back-to-back world titles with Renault, a feat that made him the youngest double champion in the history of the sport, and his mega-money deal was supposed to put him in position to assert his dominance in F1.

A turbulent season that saw him fall out with McLaren and lose speaking terms with Hamilton resulted in his three-year deal being cut after just one, after which he retreated to Renault.

He's yet to win another world title, suggesting Wolff's comments are right on the money, and it'll certainly be interesting to see if Mercedes decide that Alonso is worth the risk.

Hamilton, however, may not be too thrilled.