It is more and more certain that Jean-Eric Vergne will secure at least one more year with Toro Rosso.

Earlier, the 24-year-old Frenchman had been left out in the cold by the Red Bull junior team, as teenage Max Verstappen was signed up for 2015.

But with Daniil Kvyat subsequently called up by Red Bull’s senior team, it emerged that the energy drink company is reluctant to pair Verstappen, a 17-year-old rookie, with yet another inexperienced youngster for 2015 like Carlos Sainz jr.

Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz has now been asked by Speed Week if Vergne is set to stay at Toro Rosso in 2015.

The billionaire answered: "To have an experienced driver next to a very young driver is quite a strong argument."

Mateschitz also hit back at Red Bull’s rivals who have criticised the signing of a driver as young and inexperienced as Verstappen.

"They all wanted Verstappen," he told Kleine Zeitung newspaper. "Only now that he is with us is there suddenly this great outcry."

Finally, Mateschitz confirmed that world champion Sebastian Vettel’s contract with Red Bull will officially conclude "five days after the last race" in Abu Dhabi.