Horner: Albon links to Toro Rosso just speculation at the moment

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says reports connecting Alexander Albon to the second Toro Rosso Formula 1 race seat remain ‘nothing other than speculation’ and will stay tight-lipped on its 2019 plans.

After Daniil Kvyat was confirmed to be returning to Toro Rosso for 2019, attention switched to the second race seat currently held by Brendon Hartley.

Speculation has grown in recent weeks linking former Red Bull junior Albon to Toro Rosso for next season, with rumours growing louder after the Thailand driver missed Formula E pre-season testing for the e.dams Nissan squad despite signing for the team for the 2018/19 season.

Speaking to Sky Sports after FP1 at the United States Grand Prix, Horner played down reports linking Albon to Toro Rosso but did not dismiss the idea.

“There’s nothing fixed. Nothing other than speculation at the moment,” Horner said. “He is a driver that has been on the Red Bull programme previously, he’s a talented driver.

“That’s what we’re all about. It’s not about nationalities but about the ability to deliver under pressure at this level so nothing really that I can add to that at the moment.”

Albon, who joined the Red Bull junior ranks for one year in 2012, is currently second in the Formula 2 drivers’ championship splitting leader George Russell and third-place driver Lando Norris who are both set to make their F1 debuts next year for Williams and McLaren respectively.