Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has praised Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz, with the Spaniard likely to be a key part of Formula 1's 2018 driver market.

Sainz has continued to impress in the Red Bull junior team this season, currently 10th in the Drivers' standings and has been the subject of interest both from Mercedes, who considered him to replace Nico Rosberg and Renault who enquired about his availability last year.

Speaking to Spanish publication El Mundo Deportivo, Wolff revealed he does think the son of former world rally champion Carlos Sainz Sr. could cope at the top in F1 saying: "Yes, Carlos is ready and I like him and I like the family.

"Carlos is what he has to be: a modern driver, handsome, intelligent, fast."

Though Sainz himself had previously said next year is the year he wants to move up from Toro Rosso, the Austrian admits he would face a major hurdle if that move was to be outside his current stable.

"He is a Red Bull driver and they will always try to keep the good ones in their system or to control their destiny," Wolff said, "and that's the situation right now."

It is true the energy drinks giant is very keen to keep hold of the 22-year-old, however, Helmut Marko, the man in charge of Red Bull's academy, did suggest there might some room for manoeuvre.

"Traditionally we talk about drivers after the summer. It's too soon," he told El Confidential initially.

"If it was a much better team than Toro Rosso, we can talk [but] on the other hand, we need a reserve driver and Carlos is our first option."

As for whether he echoed Wolff's confidence in Sainz, he added: "He has gone from being Carlos Sainz junior to Carlos Sainz the F1 driver.

"But I think he would develop better if he left the 'Madrid protection zone' of his father. He is still like a young bird in the nest.

"He is fast - very fast - but he has to be consistent," Marko continued. "He made a stupid mistake in Bahrain, but he's young, he can learn, and he has to be patient.

"He must concentrate on doing the best job possible and he will automatically develop."