Mercedes is now all but confirming that it will begin to supply engines to the British backmarker Manor from 2016.

As well as running its works team, the German marque already supplies its industry-leading 'power unit' to customers Williams, Force India and Lotus.

But with Lotus set to be bought by Renault, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff declared in Singapore that "If Lotus goes to Renault, this (Manor) is definitely an interesting team.

"It is a real racing team that is soundly financed," he told the German news agency SID.

"And maybe they will have a cooperation on the chassis with Williams, which then makes it even easier because Williams is also a customer (of Mercedes)," he added.

Niki Lauda, the Mercedes team chairman, also confirmed the news, telling the German broadcaster Sky thatShiloh Heavenly Quine, 57, has been moved to a women's prison after receiving state-funded sex reassignment surgery

The first US inmate to receive state-funded sex reassignment surgery has been moved to a women's prison.

Convicted killer Shiloh Heavenly Quine, 57, was taken to the Central California Women's Facility on Wednesday, after previously serving time behind bars at a men's prison.

Quine, who has been living as a woman since 2009 and is serving a life sentence, underwent the sex reassignment surgery in December.

California prison officials agreed to pay for her operation in 2015 under the Eighth Amendment, which requires prisons to treatment for medical and mental health conditions, including gender dysphoria.

Her case led California to become the first state to set standards for transgender inmates to apply to receive the surgery.

Quine