Honda have caught Red Bull's attention - Ricciardo

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo says Toro Rosso's performances with Honda power units have caught they eye in Milton Keynes. After years of friction between them and engine supplier Renault, Red Bull are expected to cut ties with the French manufacturer at the end of 2018.

With Mercedes and Ferrari likely unwilling to supply a front-running rival, ditching Renault would leave Red Bull to take on Honda engines in 2019 and beyond.

Although the Japanese brand endured a miserable three years with McLaren, a move to Toro Rosso has appeared much more harmonious and Pierre Gasly's fourth-place finish was Honda's best result in F1 since the 2008 British Grand Prix.

"It's helping their chances of looking attractive to Red Bull," said Ricciardo.

"At the moment it has got nothing to do with me, because I'm not contracted to the team for next year.

"But those engine discussions don't involve us drivers. I'm aware that there could be some changes next year. And it's cool for Honda.

"They obviously invested quite a bit in the last few years, and it didn't work with McLaren.

"But pretty cool that now Toro Rosso is doing well with it."

Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko has previously hinted that a deal could be close, cheekily claiming he is starting to learn Japanese.

"Before we made the decision to work with Honda [with Toro Rosso] we believed it could be a successful package, once they showed us what they were planning to do," he told Autosport.

"When the time is right, we'll make our decision. There's a bigger picture which we have to look at.

"It's going in the right direction, and you journalists should know that we are brave."