Red Bull will look at options “outside” it🐼s talent pool if it decides not to retain Alex Albon for the 2021 Formula 1 season, says Christiᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚan Horner. 

Albon is Red Bull’s pr🃏eferred option to continue alongside Max Verstappen for next season but his inconsistent results this year have resulted in speculation that he could be replaced in the team’s driver line-up.

Horner stressed that Red Bull wants Albon to “claim” his seat and put to bed any rumours with a string of consisten☂t and convincing displays at the next two races at Portimao and Imola.

“We want Aඣlex to claim that seat and basically justify tꦯhat there is no need to look at any other alternative than Alex,” Horner explained.

“I think everybody in the team wants to see him do that. It felt like in Mugello he was starting to turn t💟he corner and so on.

"He’♛s had a couple of difficult weekends, so he needs to bounce back here I think and particularly Imola with a strong weekend from start to finish. So that’s our focus, that’s our objective.

“He’s a popular member of the team but we need tw⛎o cars closer together in order to fight the Mercedes, and that’s what we’ve got to do. That’s our target.”

But Horne🅰r said Red Bull is prepared to consider drivers such as free agents Nico Hulkenberg or Sergio Per♔ez if it decides to dispense of Albon’s services.

Asked if Red Bull would take on an Alpha♛Tauri driver if Albon was dropped, Horner replied: “No. I thi🎐nk AlphaTauri are pretty settled with their drivers.

“As I say, our preference is very much Alex. But if we had a look at a different solution, then obviously we wou🎉ld have to look outside of the Red Bull pool of drivers, simply because there is not one available that we would look to put in.

“Th𒁏ere’s some quality drivers, obviously, on thﷺe market, that could be unemployed for next year.”