Ricciardo to join Mercedes?

‘He is in the best place in the sport to build a team around him.’ Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner said of 20-year-old driver Max Verstappen.

The youngest winner in Formula One history has signed a new contract with Red Bull Racing until 2020.

Verstappen could well have had his pick of race seats for 2019, with potential spaces at all of the top teams.

But he has opted to remain with Red Bull Racing and that must have come with some hefty reassurances from the team and probably backed up with a few extra zero’s on his bank balance.

But with Red Bull Racing prepared to ‘build a team’ around Verstappen, where does that leave team-mate Daniel Ricciardo who is out-of-contract with the team at the end of 2018?

‘We’ve spoken with Daniel, It’s very clear we want to do exactly the same with him. There was a window of discussion that took place with Max and obviously our objective is to retain the two drivers and hopefully we will be able to achieve that until 2020.’ Horner told Sky Sports.

But not everyone is buying that.

Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle is one of many who believe that Ricciardo’s future has already been decided and it’s not with Red Bull.

‘It tells me Ricciardo will be in a Mercedes in 2019,’ he said.