Felipe Nasr has hinted that he will stay with Sauber in 2017.

Earlier, the Brazilian struggled with the car prepared by the Swiss team, and amid Sauber's fight for survival he hinted that he would take his major Banco do Brasil backing elsewhere.

However, Sauber has subsequently been financial rescued, and 24-year-old Nasr now seems much happier where he is.

"It's been a difficult year, not just for me but for the whole team," he told Brazil's Globo.

Despite that, he said that he has kept working hard throughout the season.

"Who is in our situation knows that you cannot just analyse the results, but I have always tried to pull the team up and look at the positive side of things - and this work will be critical for 2017," said Nasr.

Nasr had been linked with potential moves to Renault or Williams for 2017, and he does not deny those talks.

"Yes, we had contacts," he said. "I had had options, but at the moment we have not made a decision. It's a matter of waiting.

"What I see is that Sauber is on a constructive path since the arrival of the new investors. It is an attractive team and I hope to announce my future soon."

Nasr and Sauber remain pointless at this stage of the 2016 championship.