BARCELONA, Spain -- Sebastian Vettel has played down rumours of Nico Rosberg "flirting" with Ferrari over a 2017 drive.
This week Italian website Corriere reported Mercedes driver and championship leader Rosberg has been courting the Italian team over a drive alongside Vettel next season. Rosberg and Vettel's teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, are both on deals which expire at the end of 2016.
In Russia Rosberg told the media he has not started proper negotiations with Mercedes over a contract, but added this was more due to how early it was in the season. At the Barcelona test days this week Vettel refused to be drawn into commenting properly on an all-German lineup at Maranello next year.
When asked about the report, Vettel smiled and said: "As long as he's not flirting with me it's good news! Everything else you need to ask our boss which is Maurizio [Arrivabene]."
Rosberg has been at Mercedes since joining in 2010, the year it took over from the championship-winning Brawn team. He was handed a "multi-year" contract extension in July 2014 at a time when he was leading that season's title race against Hamilton.
Though the German driver stressed he was happy at Mercedes he did not completely deny the rumour.
"I'm happy at Mercedes, but let's see what the future brings," he told Italian media.
It is far from certain Raikkonen, the oldest driver on the grid at 36, will walk away from F1 at the end of the year, with Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene recently saying the Finn's future is in his own hands and praising his performance at the Spanish Grand Prix.