RED Bull boss Helmut Marko has given the biggest sign yet Daniel Ricciardo’s future may lie with another Formula One team.

Speaking with Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Marko said the team is already planning for life after the Australian star as it builds around young stud Max Verstappen.

While any changes for next year would be a surprise, Marko appeared to indicate Ricciardo was already fielding offers for 2019.

“Verstappen has a longer contract,” Marko said. “But Ricciardo is already on the market. We have to look for alternatives. We will not be unprepared.”

In recent Malaysia GP winner Verstappen and showman Ricciardo, Red Bull has two of the youngest, talented and most marketable drivers on the grid.

But it is yet to supply the dashing duo with a car capable of winning a world title, which could prompt one or both of them to look elsewhere down the track.

Slow starts to the season have plagued the team in recent years but Marko insists Red Bull will make a better start in 2018.

“We are ensuring that it does not happen again,” he said. “There is a new procedure in the wind tunnel and we are not even finished developing this car.”

As for replacement options, the team continues to see talent rising through its development ranks. Carlos Sainz is being loaned to Renault next year but Red Bull has the option of pulling back into the fold in 2019 if Ricciardo were to depart.

They also saw Pierre Gasly debut for junior team Toro Rosso in Malaysia and look sure to hand him a full-time spot.

MERCEDES: FUTILE TO CONTROL HAMILTON

Toto Wolff has explained Mercedes’ hands-off policy and trust when it comes to Lewis Hamilton, claiming it would be detrimental to “put him in a box” rather than providing the championship leader with the framework to drive at his best.

Hamilton insists he is better than ever in 2017 but is admittedly focusing on projects outside of Formula 1 too, travelling more than ever in the process, and attracted intense media scrutiny after missing a London Live event earlier this season.

But such an absence and criticism was soon tempered by a dominant British GP victory and four wins in five races — confirmation for Wolff that Mercedes is doing the right thing by granting Hamilton free rein.

“The more you try to limit him — put him in a box — the more detrimental it will be for his performance,” the Mercedes boss told The Telegraph. “The old mentality of ‘a racing driver has to be like this or like that’ is invalid for Lewis.”

Mercedes’ approach with the three-time world champion is a far-cry from his McLaren days under Ron Dennis, and Hamilton says he has never consulted his team about recent comments on NFL protests and American politics.

Hamilton has admitted he is considering ‘taking a knee’ himself during the anthem at the US GP next month, while critical videos of President Donald Trump have also appeared on his Instagram feed.

But the Briton is clearly flourishing under the current Mercedes guidelines, 34 points clear of Sebastian Vettel in the standings with five Grands Prix remaining in 2017, and Wolff is understandably keen for that to continue.

“Lewis is a very talented racing driver — probably the best [in the sport] at this moment in time,” Wolff explained.

“You have to accept that all of us pretty much know what’s good and bad for us, and then leave him to adjust his life accordingly so that he performs best and we perform best.

“Lewis is a great personality in Formula 1. The kind of deal we have is that he drives the race very fast. And we provide the framework that enables him to do so. And it’s a win-win situation.”

Wolff has also put the more relaxed, focused Hamilton down to a better “dynamic” within the Mercedes team in 2017, with Valtteri Bottas replacing world champion Nico Rosberg.

“The dynamic between Valtteri Bottas and Lewis is completely different to how it was with Nico [Rosberg],” Wolff added. “You can see that they respect each other much more and there is a certain kind of feeling of satisfaction to the other one doing well.”

— Sky Sports