Mercedes pro🧸tege Russꩵell has long been linked with a promotion to the works’ team next season alongside Lewis Hamilton, with some media reports claiming an announcement could be made as early as next month’s British Grand Prix.

Bottas 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:dismisꦏsed the latest rumours 𝐆as "clickbait" when he faced the media earlier on T🌃hursday at 𝓡Paul Ricard ahead of this weekend’s French Grand Prix.

Russell - who turned in a starring display during a one-off call-up𒁏 to Mercedes at the 2020 Sakhir GP and has continued to impress for Williams this year - stressed his♛ future is yet to be decided.

“Nothing is set in stone for n๊ext year,” Russell said. “I’m still a Williams driver and I haven’t signed any contracts beyond [this year].

And Russell is determined not to let the s💫peculation surrounding his future become a distraction and potentially effect his performances on-track.

“The be🦹tter ꩵjob you do on track, the more chance you have to secure a future,” he added.

“F1 is a ruthless sport, there’s only room for 20 drivers and you’ve got to be on your A-Game a𝓀nd can’t get tಌoo carried away looking to the future, because you can start having a bad run of form and suddenly everything can change.”

Rus꧙sell admitted he is aware of the rumours and said he hopes to have his future settled “one way or another” before the end o🍎f the summer break in August.

“Obviously I’m aware about all the speculation, but ꧃right now I’m just en🌊joying driving, race-by-race,” he explained.

“I want to get my future nailed down at some point. But righꦐt now I’m just focused on this weekend a♔nd into Austria.

“The summer break is usually when these things sort of happen. For most people, the summer break is where you get things set in stone.🌸 So f🎃or me, I’m just focused race-by-race and just enjoy the curiosity of what is to come.

“It’s sometimes exciting not knowing what the future hol💧ds.”

Earlier this week, Alpine announced that Esteban Ocon had commi𝔉tted his mid-to-long term future to the team with a three-year extension.

Aske🅰d whether he sees Ocon as one less obstacle to get into Mercedes given his links to the German marquee, Russell re🔴plied: “I don’t see it as anything to be honest.

“Firstly, congrats to Esteban, he deserves that 🍌and it’s great for Mercedes as well that one of their drivers has their career set in stone and sorted.ꦛ But no, I haven’t really thought about that.

🥀“Esteban has been at Renault and Alpine for the last couple of years and obviously with his speed and his nationality, it’s a great fit at Alpine.

"That 🐲didn’t cross my mind other than I am happy for him and it’s good to see he’s got things all stable and settled after a yea🍃r out.”