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Christian Horner says Red Bull could not afford to run a third car if requested to for 2015 and insists it is not a scenario the team is actively pushing for.

In the hours before the Brazilian Grand Prix it was reported in some media outlets Ferrari and Red Bull would be running a third car in 2015 before a switch to customer cars the following season. Both teams immediately denied the claims and Horner says the matter of costs and time frame makes it a very difficult prospect.

"If there was a third car requested to run we couldn't do it in within our existing budget, of course we couldn't," Horner said. "I think the numbers are pretty accurate. You're looking at €35-€40 million. The third car is only a scenario if the numbers drop, and there's not. At the moment it's not something we're planning, not something we're pushing for. If we're requested to do it then obviously we will have to look at it at that point."

When asked when Red Bull would need to start building a third car in time for the 2015 opener in Australia on March 15, Horner laughed and said: "About three months ago."

It remains unclear whether teams would receive any financial help for running a third car in the event they were required to do so, with Horner telling journalists Bernie Ecclestone would "probably" expect the teams to foot the entire bill. But even if costs were covered Horner is opposed to third cars as an idea, even though Red Bull would be contractually obliged to run one if asked.

"Personally, I'm not a big fan of three-car teams. I think it's moving away from what Formula One should be. But if there's no option, no alternative, then Red Bull has a commitment [contractually] that yes we would have to run a third car. Red Bull's position is we want to see a full grid of at least ten healthy two-car teams.

"We have an obligation, as do a couple of other teams, that if the grid drops below a certain number then we will be required to field a third car. The numbers haven't dropped significantly low enough and we haven't been requested by the promoter to run a third car, so that is the situation."

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