Red Bull's teams are still without an engine for next year, with Mercedes and Ferrari having refused to supply the Milton Keynes-based team.

The team has suggested it would be open to continue with Renault after all, despite having agreed to part ways earlier this year after a disappointing season, but the French manufacturer has said the deal is unlikely.

Red Bull's two teams are contractually committed to the sport until 2020, but the energy drinks giant has insisted it might leave the sport if it fails to find a competitive engine.

Ecclestone has now suggested that Red Bull would not be able to leave F1 that easily.

"Red Bull would stand up in court and say: 'Yes, we have a commitment, we do, but we haven't got an engine'," Ecclestone told The Independent.

"My argument would be: 'You signed the contract to compete.

"You should have made sure when you signed the contract that you had an engine. Your team was supposed to do this.'"