Mercedes have looked to quell talk of a potential engine deal with McLaren in 2018 by insisting Honda's continued participation in Formula 1 is more important at this point.

There has been growing speculation the British team is seeking to end its current partnership with the Japanese manufacturer as problems with their power unit persist and this year have left McLaren bottom of the Constructors' championship, as the only team yet to score a point.

Conversations have also continually been seen between McLaren and Mercedes chiefs, initially believed to be part of a potential collaboration between the current F1 world champions and Honda to help fast track development but more recently likely to be about a potential return to their former supplier, of whom they left at the end of 2014.

Asked directly about the ongoing situation while at an FIA event in Geneva, Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff commented: "There's quite some momentum in the market at the moment, which we watch from the sidelines," he said. "This is a position that we have put ourselves in."

On a potential deal with McLaren, he added: “This is not our priority at the moment. First, we would like to see Honda and McLaren sorting out their relationship, we wouldn't want to interfere in that stage.

“The main priority is for Honda to stay in the sport and for Honda to have a functioning relationship with its customers. That’s why at the moment we do not wish to dive into this topic.”

There has yet to be any talk of Honda considering their future in F1, as they will supply Sauber from 2018. Reports earlier this week mentioned Williams as a potential alternative if McLaren should end their partnership but that link has since been denied by the Grove-based team.