Pascal Wehrlein says he’s confident his performances for Sauber in 2017 will help his career prospects꧒ des💎pite looking like missing out on a Formula 1 driver next season after being shuffled out of the Swiss squad.

With Sauber strengthening its ties to Ferrari’s parent company the FCA Group via a technical and title sponsorship deal with Alfa Romeo from next season, Mercedes-backed Wehrlein has left the team after one season. The Gꦿerman’s vacant race seat has been picked up by reigning Formula 2 champion Charles Leclerc.

Effectively one spot remains to be filled for the 2018 F1 grid which is at Williams alongsiꦜde Lance Stroll but with the British team aiming to add exper꧑ience to its driver line-up a comeback by Robert Kubica looks likely after impressing during the post-season Abu Dhabi test last week.

While Wehrlein remains on the Williams shortlist for next season, Mercedes team💟 principal Toto Wolff has conceded his chances of join🔯ing the British team were ‘tiny’.

♔Speaking during the Abu Dhabi race week💦end, Wehrlein was determined to stick to his ‘Plan A’ inside the Mercedes fold despite facing the prospect of returning to DTM where he clinched the drivers’ title in 2015.

“I'm happy with the last two years, with my performance this year and I'm sure it will help with my future,” Wehrlein said. “I’m still in discussions, in talks. T🍌here's clearly plan A and♏ about the other plans we haven’t talked about yet.

“I'm always pro-active so I always like to be involved in everything and know about everything, the ta🎐lks, discussions and everything. I like to be involved so I'm not sit🐼ting back and saying they will do it for me and I don't have to worry.”

Wehrlein scored Sauber’s only points in 2017 with two top ten finishes coming in Spain and Azerbaijan but his efforts weren’t enough to prevent the Swiss squad ending the year bottom of the F1 Wor♈ld Constructors’ championship for the first time in its history.