Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has quashed rumours that Max Verstappen vetoed Red Bull’s top driver choice for 2019.

Currently, the Austrian marquee is debating as to which driver should replace the Renault-bound Daniel Ricciardo next year.

Topping the shortlist are current Renault driver Carlos Sainz and Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly. However, earlier reports suggested that Dutchman Verstappen vetoed Sainz after their time together at Toro Rosso.

But, Marko said: “The rumours are wrong. Red Bull is the one who decides about drivers.”

However, Sainz is not getting his hopes up just yet and is willing to wait for official confirmation.

“At the moment I’m still a Renault driver,” he said.

“If Red Bull asks me to come back, that would of course change. I owe Red Bull a lot. The mutual respect is great.

“I also have a very good relationship with Helmut Marko. It’s thanks to him that I’m in F1.”

As of now, the 2018 F1 season is on a break for the summer after the Hungarian GP. It was around that time that the startling news of Ricciardo’s exit from Red Bull was confirmed. On the same day, the Renault team also confirmed that they had signed him up. The Australian will be partnering Nico Hulkenberg in the coming season.

For now, though, Ricciardo will savour his final few races for the Aston Martin Red Bull team. The 2018 calendar will resume with the Belgian Grand Prix on August 26.

The Spa Francorchamps circuit is a circuit where the Mercedes team and the Ferrari team could be in their element. In other words, the Austrian team must brace itself for the title of 3rd best team. They had a chance in Hungary, but rain in qualifying negated that and it was a Mercedes show all the way.