Marko: "Ten names" on 2019 Toro Rosso shortlist

With Pierre Gasly leaving for Red Bull and Brendon Hartley lacking in performance, both seats are up for grabs at Toro Rosso, and Dr Helmut Marko has revealed that the current shortlist contains ten drivers.

It could very well be that there are two new faces on the grid at Toro Rosso next season, with Gasly replacing Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull and Hartley's performances having been inconsistent. However, the Kiwi still has a fighting chance, Marko reveals, but things need to improve from his side of things.

"There has to be a big improvement in the last few races of the season," the Red Bull advisor told Speedweek when talking about Hartley.

When it comes to the other options Toro Rosso has to fill one of the seats, the 75-year-old revealed that there are still a lot of candidates on the board.

"For 2019 there is no shortlist, but a longlist," he joked.

"There are ten names on there.

"One with a contract at Mercedes, which is why it probably won't be him.

"But everything is possible."

That person with the Mercedes contract probably is either Esteban Ocon or George Russell, both of which are under contract at Mercedes.