Nico Rosberg's future was never really in doubt, but Mercedes have made it official and given the German driver and current championship leader a two year contract extension. The deal will see him remain at the team until the end of 2018, bringing him level with teammate Lewis Hamilton's contract which was confirmed last year.

The team revealed the contract extension with a video of Toto Wolff and Nico Rosberg signing on the dotted line, alongside a statement saying: "Nico has been a core member of the Silver Arrows since the team returned to the sport in 2010 and has played a crucial role in the team's success in that time."

The deal, whilst not a surprise, is a real commitment from the team who have had to work through many difficult situations between their two drivers. Most recently, Rosberg and Hamilton have dealt with several teammate crashes that put Wolff on the edge of instigating more stringent team orders. They must have the situation well under control now, however, to be prepared to go for two more seasons.

With the top two seats in Formula One now sewn up for another couple of years, it leaves the rest of the grid eyeing only Ferrari and Red Bull as potential championship contenders for future driver movements. However, with the regulation overhaul coming in 2017, the order could change to give someone else a chance at the top.