Hamilton rules out Vettel move to Mercedes

After a six-week break, Formula One returns this weekend in Belgium and the question on everybody's lips is the future of Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel's £39m-a-year Ferrari contract is up for renewal at the end of the season and there had been rumours that the German could be in line for a shock move to Mercedes.

However, that rumour has been ruled out by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who says Vettel would not want to compete in the same team as him.

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"I know Seb doesn't want to be my team-mate," said Hamilton, who trails Vettel in the F1 drivers' standings by 14 points. "He wouldn't be in the position he is in now in his team, in terms of how the team operates, if he was here."

Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa will be Lewis Hamilton's 200th F1 race.

The Times reports that Vettel won't reveal any news on his future for at least two weeks - meaning no updates on his contract ahead of Ferrari's home race at Monza on 3 September.

"At some point I think there will be news. So let's see," said the German. "No news yet and the main focus now is not to focus on news, the main focus is on the race and that will be the same next week so I don't expect news within the next two weeks, to be honest."

In the Daily Mail, it is reported that McLaren driver Fernando Alonso is keeping his options open.

The two-time F1 world champion is near to the end of a three-year contract at McLaren and won't start to think about his future before September.

"I went to Greece to have a holiday and I did not think too much about the future," said Alonso. "I always said I would think about the future in September, and we still have one more week to go.

"I don't know which teams have confirmed for next year. I read Kimi [Raikkonen] was confirmed, but I don't know exactly what I will do until I look at the options.

"When September arrives, I will have to think through those options."