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Why it’s not game over at Mercedes for Wehrlein

The 2017 Formula 1 grid took shape with a trio of announcements - Pascal Wehrlein to Sauber being the lowest-profile. Though he has been spurned by Mercedes in one sense, Wehrlein's not drinking from the last-chance saloon just yet

It has been a tough few months for Pascal Wehrlein. First Force India overlooked him in favour of fellow Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon. Then it was decided he was not ready to step up to the works team when a vacancy became available following Nico Rosberg's retirement.

So when it was announced that Wehrlein would join Sauber, which scored just two points last season and only saved itself from being defeated in the constructors' championship by Manor in the penultimate round of the season, there was a feeling in some quarters that this was an underwhelming move for a driver who Autosport rated as the rookie of the year in 2016.

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