Baku: Daniel Ricciardo on Friday made clear that he welcomed Red Bull’s decision to end speculation over his future by revealing that he is contracted to remain with the team until the end of 2018.
The Australian driver has been linked with other teams, including Ferrari, for several months while he and Red Bull remained tight-lipped on his future.
But after rising tensions in the relationship between Ricciardo, 26, and the team, Red Bull chiefs Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have told reporters that he is remaining with the team for two more years.
Ricciardo said: “It has always been pretty discrete, I guess ... But Helmut has made a few comments — and it is good, it means he likes me.
“But it is hard to tell some days! To be honest, the team is very happy with the line-up they have at the moment with myself and Max.
“I would say it is pretty stable.”
The Red Bull team brought in record-breaking Dutch teenager Max Verstappen from Toro Rosso ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in May in a swap that saw Russian Daniil Kvyat go the other way.
Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix on his debut.
Red Bull have confirmed that they will have an unchanged driver line-up next year.
Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix first free practice times in Baku on Friday:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes-AMG 1:46.435, 2. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes-AMG 1:46.812, 3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1:47.096, 4. Fernando Alonso (ESP) McLaren-Honda 1:47.989, 5. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari 1:48.627, 6. Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India 1:48.922, 7. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren-Honda 1:49.019, 8. Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams 1:49.125, 9. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Toro Rosso 1:49.267, 10. Nico H|lkenberg (GER) Force India 1:49.301, 11. Romain Grosjean (FRA) Haas 1:49.611, 12. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1:49.635, 13. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull 1:49.778, 14. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Haas 1:50.167, 15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE) Sauber 1:50.473, 16. Max Verstappen (NED) Red Bull 1:50.485, 17. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso 1:50.551, 18. Jolyon Palmer (GBR) Renault 1:50.910, 19. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Renault 1:50.939, 20. Pascal Wehrlein (GER) Manor 1:51.219, 21. Felipe Nasr (BRA) Sauber 1:51.771, 22. Rio Haryanto (INA) Manor 1:51.925
