Felipe Nasr believes the points he scored at the Brazilian Grand Prix will help him in trying to secure a drive with Sauber for next season.
Nasr impressed at his home race at Interlagos to give the Swiss team its first points of 2016, completing a strong drive to ninth place in treacherously wet conditions. The two points he collected meant Sauber leapfrogged above Manor into 10th in the constructors' standings.
Sauber has already announced that Nasr's current teammate Marcus Ericsson will stay on for 2017, but despite earning crucial points, which could hand Sauber a big financial boost going into next year if it can hold its status above Manor in Abu Dhabi, Nasr's own future at the team remains unclear.
"I would expect that [scoring points] does help, for sure," The Brazilian said. "If anything a racing driver can do is to contribute to a team with points and I know how much these points are valuable. We know how much these points mean in terms of championship and resources the team will make for 2017, so it's the best I could have given them.
"I wouldn't imagined a better way of doing it, in my home race, but those two points felt like a victory for us for the whole team. We have been going through such a difficult year and it was looking like quite an impossible way of achieving those points.
"But with all the rain, the difficult conditions we had in Brazil I knew there was going to be an opportunity. Nevertheless we have a last race here to confirm that so we go to keep focused on the weekend and make sure we get away with those points."
It is understood difficulties involving Nasr's primary sponsor Banco do Brasil have delayed further negotiations with Sauber. Esteban Gutierrez -- who is currently without a drive for 2017 -- and Pascal Wehrlein have both been linked with the sole remaining spot at the Hinwil-based outfit, while there are just also two other seats left to fill at Manor.
When asked if Nasr had held talks with Manor, he replied: "There's still negotiations going on, talks with Sauber mainly. That's our priority right now. I have a great relationship with the team, it's been two great years, we saw the two sides of the coins, the first year that I had in Formula One, I was able to do so much and achieve so much in my very first year.
"The second [year] we had such a difficult time, the car being uncompetitive, but it was nice that we were able to get those two points in Brazil and I'm sure that has given a boost to the team. As I said these two points means a lot, for myself, and for the team and hopefully we'll know it soon."