F1: Christian Horner urges Daniel Ricciardo to stay at Red Bull

Despite the rumoured interest from rivals Mercedes and Ferrari, team principal Christian Horner believes Daniel Ricciardo can win the Formula 1 title with Red Bull.

Ricciardo, who is out of contract at the end of this season, won a stunning race in China last weekend to put himself in contention at the top of the F1 drivers’ championship.

After three races he is fourth in the standings behind the current leader - Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel - and Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Horner says that the performance of the Red Bull car at the Chinese Grand Prix proves that Ricciardo is already at the right team. “If we can give him a car like we did [in China], why would he want to be anywhere else?” Red Bull boss Horner told Sky Sports.   

“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.”

Ricciardo’s future has been a big talking point in F1 and former world champion Nico Rosberg believes he knows where the Australian should go.

Rosberg told Sky Sports: “Where would I drive if I was Daniel Ricciardo? I would go to Ferrari because he knows he can beat Vettel, and they have the best car at the moment.”

Last week Ricciardo denied that he had signed a pre-contract agreement with Ferrari. He told the Daily Express: “I swear that I have not signed anything. Not even with Ferrari.”