Horner: Red Bull are prepared for driver departure

Christian Horner insists Red Bull want Daniel Ricciardo to stay despite suggesting that they are prepared for his departure.

The Red Bull boss says the team have “good alternatives” if their most experience driver decides he wants to race elsewhere in 2019.

Horner said: “The plan is to continue with the line-up that we have now, but if that isn’t possible, we have other good alternatives.

Daniel Ricciardo opens the 2018 season on home soil in just over one week and has driven for Red Bull since 2014.

With Kimi Raikkonen’s future at Ferrari still up in the air, a move to Ferrari to join former teammate Sebastian Vettel is on the cards.

Bottas has been handed just a one-year deal at Mercedes, giving possible opportunity for the Australian to partner Lewis Hamilton in 2019.

In response to this, Horner said: “We still have good options, as Lewis’s contract also expires. It’s hard to see him leaving Mercedes, but we never say never.”

Regarding this season and Red Bull’s push to close to the gap between themselves and Mercedes, Horner commented: “Mercedes are surely going to be the favourites, because they have been very strong and have dominated during the last years.”