Ricciardo never doubted Red Bull would stay in F1

“The positive was that the engine was reliable and we ran all day so we got good laps and good information”.

Red Bull won four world titles with Renault from 2010 to 2013 but have not been able to match Mercedes since the introduction of the new turbo hybrid engines last season.

Daniel Ricciardo is targeting remaining inside the top five for the rest of the weekend in Brazil after finishing both free practice sessions there on Friday.

And following months of speculation about the future of the team, the move has been welcomed by Ricciardo who said he was not ready to face a campaign on the sidelines if the team quit.

The energy drink company’s road to 2016 has been long and complex, with Red Bull expected to use Infiniti-branded Renault power while Toro Rosso switches to 2015-spec Ferrari engines.

“It is nice to know”, he told reporters. “It’s the first step towards a better 2016, so it’s good news”.

“I’m curious to know more”, Ricciardo admitted.

Whether or not such an arrangement would represent long-term solution for the former world champions is up for debate, however.

If the deal does not happen, Red Bull could still be left scrambling for a last-minute engine deal with another manufacturer.

To coincide with the introduction of radically faster chassis regulations, F1’s governing FIA and Bernie Ecclestone are pushing ahead with plans to sign up an exclusive supplier of alternative twin-turbo V6 engines to arrive in 2017. Horner has confirmed such an engine would be an attractive proposition for Red Bull if it could compete with the existing V6 power units.

“And as I said, it might give us a few clarity or answers”. “If you look at the issues that are now surrounding power supply and the prices of power supply at the moment – upwards of 30m euro – it’s just too much money”.