Mercedes is weighing up the possibility of poaching Fernando Alonso from McLaren to replace Nico Rosberg next season.

The Brackley squad has been forced to look for a new driver following Rosberg’s sudden retirement from the sport just five days after winning the world championship in Abu Dhabi.

Rosberg’s surprise exit has reportedly prompted more than half of the current Formula 1 grid to contact Mercedes about the vacant seat, with Fernando Alonso allegedly among the group.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has already stated his preferred option is to promote a Mercedes development driver, although he admits the two-time world champion Alonso is being considered.

Such a moves would see Alonso potentially renew a feisty rivalry with Lewis Hamilton that the pair shared at McLaren in 2007.

The Spaniard has a year left on his contract at McLaren with the team’s new boss Zak Brown stating this week that their star driver will see out the agreement.

“You have to consider Fernando, he is a driver that I respect a lot,” Wolff told Sky in an interview.

“And he combines the talent, speed, experience, it is all there. But he is under contract with McLaren-Honda at the moment and we need to weigh all the other options up.”

Mercedes development driver Pascal Wehrlein remains among the favourites to land the drive.

The 22-year-old had been in talks to secure the second seat at Sauber which have now been put on hold following Rosberg’s exit.

Wehrlein impressed in his first full F1 season this year at Manor scoring a point at the Austrian Grand Prix.

The former DTM driver was also called upon by Mercedes to test with the squad in place of Lewis Hamilton at Barcelona earlier this year.

“Pascal is an ambitious young man,” Wolff told German media.

“He has big aims and we share those aims. This is why he is part of our development programme.

“He’s done a year with Manor.

“And if I could do a Christmas wish list I would wish for him to have another year or two at a midfield team. But there won’t be a Christmas wish list for me this year.

“Therefore, we have to aim for a good compromise. And as Nico had to take a brave decision, maybe we have to take a brave decision as well.”