Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda has denied reports that team principal Ross Brawn is poised to leave.

Reports in Germany have claimed that Brawn will step down from his position at the end of the year, but Lauda insists that he remains in talks with him.

"I am in negotiations with Ross Brawn," Lauda told German agency dpa. "There is still no decision on how to proceed in the long term.

"That is the situation, and that has been the situation for a long time. We only need an answer by the end of the year."

Brawn was appointed as team principal in 2009.