Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff insists he maintains an "optimistic" outlook for Esteban Ocon as 2019 Formula 1 seat options for the Frenchman reduce.
Set for the Force India exit, potentially as soon as before the Singapore Grand Prix, as Lance Stroll readies to make the switch to his father's new purchase from Williams, recent announcements have also worked against Ocon.
McLaren's confirmation of Lando Norris is one such example as is a claim by Red Bull's Helmut Marko that the 21-year-old's link to the German manufacturer rules him out at Toro Rosso.
Sauber is another option, though Ferrari would likely have a say, as is Haas, but the situation regarding Kimi Raikkonen and Charles Leclerc could be decisive there.
Even before the Force India situation, however, the key moment came after the Hungarian Grand Prix in July.
“Obviously with Esteban, it looked like we had a deal with Renault and within 48 hours, things changed," Wolff told Crash.net.
“Agreements suddenly were not agreements any more but I can understand the rationale of Renault getting Ricciardo on board.
“It’s just the way that things panned out was not ideal for Esteban, and it would be really a shame if a timing issue or intransparent communication would be a reason for such a kid with ability not to find the right seat for next year.”
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Admitting the situation is "really complicated", the Austrian insists the current uncertainty will only be a blip.
“My long-term perspective on him [Ocon] is still very optimistic," Toto added.
“He can drive, and he has a great personality, and eventually he’s going to be in a car that wins races and maybe a championship.”
