Ricciardo to Mercedes, Hamilton to Red Bull (3rd Update)

Wolff dismisses speculation. We still say that the holdup with Hamilton signing, say, a new 3-year deal, is whether Aldo Costa will too.

UPDATE We are downgrading this rumor to 'false' today. Toto Wolff has moved to play down suggestions Daniel Ricciardo might be at the front of the queue to join Mercedes next year.

Red Bull driver Ricciardo is on the market and linked with potential moves to either Mercedes or Ferrari.

But Mercedes team boss Wolff is quoted by Italy's Corriere dello Sport as insisting that the team is happy with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

That is despite the fact that negotiations over a new contract with Hamilton have reportedly stalled.

But Wolff said: "At the moment we are not looking at drivers outside of Mercedes.

"First of all, we support our two guys. That is the priority. If you're happy with your wife, you don't look at other women."

He suggested that if Mercedes does need to make changes for 2019, the replacement will be picked from the Mercedes pool.

"We are very happy with how Valtteri has been driving and we do not need to talk about Lewis — I think he's the best driver today," said Wolff.

"Then there are the young guys with us like Esteban Ocon and George (Russell). I'm optimistic about the future of Mercedes," he added.

Wolff said the driver topic for 2019 is not an issue for now anyway.

"We need a few more races, get into the European season and then go to Canada and it's an intense July after that," he said. "After that I'll have a better perspective."

Might Horner steal Hamilton from Mercedes?

04/28/18

Red Bull are not short of options should Daniel Ricciardo decide not to re-sign with Christian Horner saying even Lewis Hamilton could be a consideration for red Bull.

Ricciardo, along with Hamilton, has yet to sign a contract for next year’s championship.

The Aussie is adamant he won’t be rushed into a decision with Horner previously stated that Red Bull would like a final answer come August.

Until then the questions over Ricciardo’s future, and his possible replacement, will continue.

“It is something that is going to be dealt with behind closed doors and he Ricciardo knows where we are at and the situation," said the Red Bull team boss.

“There is obviously Lewis Hamilton that is also out of contract as is Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas."

Horner, though, says Red Bull’s first choice is to re-sign Ricciardo as Max Verstappen’s teammate.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to retain both drivers that we have," he added.

“We’re are not short of options.

“Our preference is obviously to retain Daniel but a team such as ours is not short of young drivers or alternatives.

“He did a great job in China and I think it was the boost that he needed and shows how quickly this sport can turn.

“Saturday he was on his knees but to see him get that performance was fantastic.

“Daniel has grown up with Red Bull and has been part of the Red Bull group and family for pretty much 10 years now and his confidence in the team is there.

“The only question he has is over engine performance."

04/27/18

Ricciardo (C) at Thursday's Baku press conference

Ricciardo has left the door ajar to join Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next season.

The Australian driver is Formula One's hottest property after he produced an overtaking masterclass to storm to victory in China a fortnight ago.

Ricciardo, 28, is out of contract at the end of the year, and while Red Bull are keen to retain his services, he is set to have the pick of the sport's top three teams for 2019.

A move to Ferrari would see Ricciardo once again join forces with Sebastian Vettel, who he out-performed during their one campaign together at Red Bull back in 2014. Vettel subsequently left to join Ferrari.

"I would love to be challenged against the best and Lewis is arguably up there," said Ricciardo ahead of this week's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

"I’ve got a good challenge now obviously with Max [Verstappen] and I had Seb, too, so I don’t want to say it’s just Lewis I’m looking for, but that would be a good challenge."

Ricciardo is likely to wait until the summer break before making his decision with Mercedes understood to be willing to give Bottas the first half of the year to prove his worth.

Mercedes are open to the idea of pairing Ricciardo with Hamilton and would not anticipate a repeat of the intra-team fireworks that overshadowed Nico Rosberg's time alongside the Briton. Phil Duncan/The Telegraph

Ricciardo, Hamilton and Vettel – the three best drivers in F1 today

04/26/18

A leading Formula One pundit has suggested Mercedes could look to make Daniel Ricciardo their No.1 driver, forcing Lewis Hamilton out.

Out of contract at the end of the year, Ricciardo has been linked to Ferrari and current champions Mercedes.

Red Bull hope they can convince the Aussie to stay with them after giving him a winning car at the Chinese Grand Prix.

The victory, from sixth on the starting grid, was a morale-booster for the 28-year-old after a frustrating start to the season and comes as he is deciding his next career move.

And according to Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle: "If Mercedes is an opportunity, where would he sit within the all-powerful sphere of Lewis Hamilton?"

"Let me throw this outrageous curveball. Hamilton doesn’t seem particularly happy at the moment, and I can imagine he will be super expensive to hire for his next Merc contract too.

"If that isn’t already signed, would Mercedes go for the four-and-a-half-year younger Ricciardo instead?"

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said he was confident Ricciardo would stay put.

Has Mercedes detuned Hamilton's car until he lowers his salary demands? We suspect the contract delay is Aldo Costa staying on as well. Without Costa Hamilton doesn't win many races

"I think Daniel's happy in the environment. If we can give him a car like we did today, why would he want to be anywhere else?,"

"He had the energy store failure in Bahrain, he had a turbo failure here yesterday, losing him important track time.

"You get to a point where you think 'what next?'. But it's a great confidence booster for him, to get this result now in this point in the year. Everything is wide open."

Mercedes, the dominant team in Formula One for the past four seasons, have yet to win in three races.

Ferrari won in Australia and Bahrain with four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, who may not relish the prospect of his former Red Bull teammate joining him at Maranello.

Red Bull have made clear since last year that they want Ricciardo to stay alongside 20-year-old Dutch driver Max Verstappen, a hot prospect whose race on Sunday was marred by needless overtaking errors.

"He's a very rounded driver now. He's absolutely at the top of his game and I think he has been for the last couple of years," Horner said of the Australian.

"He's hit that balance of experience and pace. He's one of the best overtakers in the business and his judgment is impeccable in terms of judging a gap.

"I feel he's in a different part of his career to where Max is at the moment, who is still very young and fresh and going through that experience." Yahoo 7 Sport