Footage posted online shows four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel filming a segment for the upcoming series of The Grand Tour.

In the clip that is just over a minute-and-a-half long, Ferrari driver Vettel can be seen talking to host James May, while Richard Hammond is also nearby.

The segment, which was filmed at a Shell petrol station in Towcester on Monday, seems to be revolving around the hosts' personal cars – Hammond's 1963 Opel Kadett (named Oliver) from the 2007 Top Gear special filmed in Botswana is there, as is James May's bright orange Ferrari 458 Speciale.

More from The Grand Tour:

The limited-run Supercar appears to be the subject of conversation between Vettel and May, while Hammond can be seen pushing his Opel nearer to the pair, seemingly in a bid to be more involved in the discussion.

Jeremy Clarkson isn't seen in the clip, which was filmed before the filming contingent headed off to a farm in Wappenham.

Online discussion has debated whether or not what's being filmed was for the Grand Tour – the inclusion of 'Oliver', a Top Gear icon, and a Shell-sponsored driver at a Shell petrol station has led some to believe they could merely be filming a Shell TV spot, although that is unlikely.

Vettel won the British Grand Prix at nearby Silverstone the day before the video was shot, so there's also the posiblity that the German was nearby and popped by out of sheer curiosity, but we doubt that, too.

An air date for the third season of the Amazon Prime hit has yet to be confirmed, although we expect it to be around November or December this year, keeping in line with the first two series of the show.

Here's a closer look at Captain Slow's not-so-slow Speciale with The Hamster on the passenger seat.