Italian GP: Mercedes insists 2013 driver line-up 'some way' from being decided

Hamilton was linked to a switch from McLaren to Mercedes on Wednesday, when former team boss and current pundit Eddie Jordan suggested that a to make room for the 2008 world champion.

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn spoke to the media in the Monza paddock on Thursday, and when he said: "We don't comment on speculation I am afraid.

"When we make our driver decision, you will be the first to hear about it but it is still some way off.

"Coming to the conclusion on our drivers will take some time still. When it is decided we will be happy to share it with you, but we still have some way to go.

"We have said that we are discussing with Michael and there is no panic on those discussions, so that is what we are focused on at the moment."

McLaren sporting director Sam Michael also addressed the Hamilton situation in a media phone-in on Thursday, suggesting that talks were ongoing between the Briton and his current team.

"I think we are in advanced stages of negotiation with Lewis," said Michael. "And until those negotiations are finished there is nothing definitive to say about it from McLaren.

"The contract negotiations go on for weeks and months anyway so we are focused on the GP and so is Lewis. We are here and prepared for Monza and we want to win."

While Brawn declined to discuss specifics on his line-up, he said that he hopes Mercedes can be considered a desirable team to race for in years to come.

"We want to be a team that every driver wants to drive for," he added. "We have a tremendous history that we want to live up to.

"We haven't quite got there yet, but if we achieve what we want to achieve then we can put ourselves in a position where every driver in F1 would consider driving for us."

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