Red Bull-Honda hint? Marko says he's 'learning Japanese'

Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Mark has dropped a hint that the team could be powered by Honda next season. Red Bull are in the final year of a relationship with Renault that has become strained, while Honda delivered impressive reliability with Toro Rosso in pre-season.

Only last season's world championship frontrunners Mercedes and Ferrari completed more laps than the 822 that Toro Rosso managed in Barcelona, as fears that Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly might be cut adrift were swiftly dispelled.

Though seemingly now solid, the Honda unit still gives up a power deficit to the other three in F1, although positive noises have been made about the potential to match Renault later in 2018.

With Red Bull and Renault having spent much of the hybrid era bickering with each other, a change has long appeared in the offing, and Marko seems happy with how Honda have incorporated themselves in the sister team.

"We let Honda explain everything they wanted to change for this year," Marko told Bild.

"That convinced us. I am even learning a few Japanese words, especially so that we can have dinner together in the evenings."

Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are expected to challenge Mercedes and Ferrari this season. It has even been suggested that the two-horse race for individual honours between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel could feature either one or both of the Red Bulls in 2018.

A lack of grunt from Renault has cost them in each of the past four seasons, but Verstappen believes he and Ricciardo are now in possession of all the tools they need for success.

"I believe in the team, which is why I signed with them," Verstappen said. "I believe that they can build the best car out there, we just now need to have the right package.

"At the moment I feel the full package is not quite strong enough, but we are definitely closing in and hopefully sooner rather than later we can have the best package all round.

"I think anyway in Formula 1 there are no guarantees in that way so we just have to wait and see."