Vasseur plays down Vandoorne rumour

Frederic Vasseur has played down rumours linking Stoffel Vandoorne with Sauber.

The latest ’silly season’ rumour in Hungary is that Kimi Raikkonen’s closeness to new Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri could have saved the Finn’s cockpit for 2019.

Now, Charles Leclerc could instead be leaving Sauber to join the stronger Ferrari-powered team Haas.

Ousted at Haas will be Romain Grosjean, while the Leclerc vacancy at Sauber is filled by Belgian Vandoorne, the struggling McLaren driver.

Vandoorne is famously close to Sauber boss Vasseur, but the French chief told La Derniere Heure when asked about the rumours: "Stoffel has a McLaren contract and I do not see him leaving the team.

"There is also a clear distinction between a friendly relationship and a business relationship," he added.