Force India's deputy team principal Bob Fernley says the team's talks with Aston Martin are in early stages and that any deal is "still a little way off".

In Mexico owner Vijay Mallya confirmed "tri-partite" discussions with Aston Martin and Johnnie Walker about rebranding the team next season. The potential deal would see the team drop the Force India name it has carried since its debut in 2008 and use both the car manufacturer and whisky brand's names in its official entry next year.

Fernley says the discussions are ongoing and a long way from reaching a conclusion at this stage.

"Two things: one is I think it's a shareholder issue and is a discussion [that is ongoing] with Vijay," Fernley told F1i. "And secondly it is still a little way off. It's got to be credit to the team that they are attracting such a great brand as Aston, even if it is just for discussions."

Mallya has confirmed the plan would be to continue running the team under the Indian flag despite dropping the Force India title.