Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says reports connecting Alexander Albon to the second Toro Rosso Formula 1 race seওat 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 sec💮ond race seat currently held by 𒊎Brendon 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 Foꦡrmula 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 U🔜nited States Grand Prix, Horner played dow🎶n reports linking Albon to Toro Rosso but did not dismiss the idea.

“ꦜThere’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 nationa🌊lities but about the ability to deliver under pressure at this level so nothing really that I can add to that at the momꩵent.”

Albon, who joined the Red Bull junior ranks for one year in 20𓄧12, 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 McLa𒐪ren respectively.