Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes next month's Mexican Grand Prix provides the final expected opportunity to challenge for victory this season.

The Milton Keynes outfit looked set to challenge Mercedes and Ferrari harder in 2018, with Daniel Ricciardo winning in China and Monaco before Max Verstappen triumphed in Austria.

Engine gains by their two rivals and an apparent early switch in car development have left Red Bull trailing even if Max has claimed podiums in five of the last eight races with 140 points between them and Ferrari in the Constructors' standings.

Last year though, it was the Dutchman who won at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with the thin air negating their power deficit.

“I think realistically Mexico is probably the only shot we have got left, under normal circumstances,” Horner admitted ahead of the Russian GP. “Hopefully we can get a few more podiums in before the end of the year."

Sights have seemingly already been set with the team taking engine penalties this weekend in Sochi to introduce a fresh engine ahead of the Mexico race.

Interestingly though, they have switched back to the more tried and tested Spec B Renault unit rather than the more powerful Spec C because of reliability concerns.

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• Honda could jump Renault in engine stakes with next upgrade - report

For Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, however, what happens between now and Abu Dhabi is largely irrelevant.

“The euphoria has given way to reality, we have fallen behind Mercedes and Ferrari,” he told Kronen Zeitung newspaper. “We want to end the year as well as possible, but our focus is clearly on 2019."

As has now become the normal team line regarding next season, hopes are higher for a more competitive year as they change engine supplier.

“We are seeing an extreme commitment and great energy from the Honda side and our side as well, of course,” he said.

“After Singapore, some of our leading people flew to Tokyo where the exchange of ideas is intensifying. It’s the first time Red Bull has had an engine manufacturer behind us.

“We have good numbers from the factory so far and Honda is enjoying the benefit of insight from four cars. The (2019) car will be ready on time," he added

“We want to be competitive right from the start and drive for victories. Whether it’s enough for the title I cannot say now, but our target must always be this.”

2016 Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg has backed manufacturers with young driver programs despite the "terrible situation" faced by Esteban Ocon.

The Frenchman is set to miss out on a seat on the grid next season with Lance Stroll taking his place at Force India following the takeover by his father during the summer break.

In looking for alternatives, his Mercedes backing has proved a hurdle with Toro Rosso ruling him out although the likes of Haas and Williams remain a possibility.

"A situation like Ocon shouldn't happen. That is terrible," Rosberg told Autosport.

"He is such a sensation, the guy has been driving so well and he doesn't have a drive. That is really terrible, so that must be avoided."

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• Wolff blasts "hidden agendas, politics' for Ocon situation

Even so, the German, who has since become a pundit and vlogger, believes the benefits of such programs outweigh the possible negatives.

"Many top drivers have had the necessary support because the F1 teams have got involved like they never used to," Rosberg said. "I think is a good thing.

"F1 teams themselves are taking the initiative, and supporting very young drivers, so I don't think it is such a disastrous situation.

"Maybe it is a little bit worse than it used to be, but we generally need to keep an eye on it."

Another young driver who was the victim of the Mercedes program is Pascal Wehrlein, who announced his split from the German manufacturer during the Singapore GP weekend and has since been linked to Toro Rosso for 2019.

“I would be overwhelmed and happy if he on his own would find his way into F1 or a professional racing career," said motorsport boss Toto Wolff.

“Obviously we felt also together with Pascal that this [contract release] was the best outcome for him.

"My opinion of him is still very high and it looked like that we could be possibly blocking his future career," he added.

“This is not what we wanted, and he also felt that he needed to do it on his own and give it a go on his own."

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff hopes Valtteri Bottas will trust his luck to change after a torrid 2018 to date.

The Finn produced a number of notable performances earlier in the season and could have very easily won in Bahrain, China and Baku.

Instead, it has been one disappointment after another as he sits 110 points behind Lewis Hamilton and is now playing a 'wingman' role to the Briton in his bid for a fifth Formula 1 title.

"For every racing driver, that’s a very difficult situation to be in because everything you dream about and everything you work for is winning the world championship," Wolff said.

"When you realise you’re not in the hunt any more, that’s very difficult to handle. But Valtteri has shown that he has the speed, the talent and the work ethic to win in a Mercedes."

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This weekend will provide happy memories for the 29-year-old as it was the Russian Grand Prix last year where he held off Sebastian Vettel to claim a first F1 win and that, the Austrian believes, should be the motivation that he needs.

"Valtteri could have won races this year, but the odds were against him. However luck isn’t just a one-way street, and I know that Valtteri has every ingredient it needs to win at this level," he insisted.

"He just needs to keep working hard to improve and trust that the tables will turn for him."

Mercedes' record at Sochi is also impressive as they are undefeated around the Olympic Park circuit but, as Singapore proved, Wolff admits the past is no guarantee of success.

"There are no easy wins this season," he declared. "We have to fight hard for every bit of performance in order to have a chance to fight for victories and this fight will continue in Russia.

"We know that Ferrari and Red Bull will give it everything to break our winning streak and we must fight as hard as ever to make sure we bring home as many points as possible."

Carlos Sainz is hoping he can maintain his current relationship with Fernando Alonso and that his fellow countryman remains with McLaren in some capacity in 2019.

The current Renault driver has the privilege of replacing the double world champion at the British team next season and has enjoyed a long friendship with Alonso, learning from him as much as he has with Red Bull.

While obviously happy at the opportunity he has to come, Sainz admits he hopes the departure of the 37-year-old from the grid doesn't have a negative impact on that bond the pair have.

“Probably Fernando and myself are the most open drivers between each other,” he said. “If we have to tell each other a little secret, we do tell it, because of the trust.

“I hope next year, it is maybe a bit more, now that he will not be in F1 and we are not on-track rivals any more. Hopefully we can keep that relationship and develop it because I think it can only be positive for me.

“I know that I can always pick up the phone and give him the call because every time I have needed him on something, he’s been there for me,” he concluded.

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Sainz doesn't just want to have the wisdom of Alonso at hand to himself either, believing he can bring plenty to McLaren as a team as they look to rebuild.

“A figure like Fernando will always give you a bit more confidence, especially as he has been around for so long so he knows what the team needs to do,” the 23-year-old claimed.

“Even if he doesn’t support me – but I’m sure he will – McLaren might also need a figure like him. I don’t know if he will stay or not.

“It’s probably a question to the management more than to me. He’s always an important figure wherever he goes.”

The top management at Woking appear to agree though, with CEO Zak Brown acknowledging Sainz and Alonso's relationship.

“It will certainly not hurt. As he stated, he’s a huge fan of Fernando’s,” the American said.

“It feels special to him and I think that is what you want from a driver, you want them to feel like they are in a special environment. Fernando being around, maybe from his point of view, he feels like he’s replacing Fernando.

“To him, if that feels special and motivates him, then that is a great thing.”

Marcus Ericsson will be looking at options outside of Formula 1 to continue racing, this despite being given a third driver role at Sauber in 2019.

This week, the Swede, who has been with the teams since 2015, learnt his fate as it was confirmed Antonio Giovinazzi would be taking the seat alongside Kimi Raikkonen next season.

Along with his new duties, Ericsson will become an ambassador both for Sauber and Alfa Romeo but that won't be enough to quell his desire for on-track action.

“I’m proud of what I’ve achieved in these last years in F1,” he said in an Instagram post. “I’ve always given my 100%, putting my heart and soul into it and I will continue in the same spirit, aiming to finish the season on a high!

"I’m happy to continue working with Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team next year in a new role [but] I’m also excited about exploring other racing options.

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• Sauber already seeing benefits of Raikkonen deal as Mexico test touted

“Today is not the end of the story, it’s just the start of a new chapter.

“Thanks for all your support.”

As with all ousted F1 drivers the prospect of a switch to WEC to Formula E appears the most likely but with his backing, don't be surprised to see Ericsson back on the grid in the future.

Lance Stroll believes the problems faced by Williams this season have masked his own personal progression over the past 12 months.

The young Canadian was starting to silence his critics towards the end of his rookie year in 2017 and enjoyed the memorable high of finishing third in Baku, just missing out on second over the finish line.

This season things have been very different, however, with the British team stuck at the back of the grid with a flawed car meaning Stroll has only scored twice in Baku again and Monza.

“Unfortunately it’s been a challenging year with the car and the team,” he was quoted by PlanetF1. “So I haven’t really been able to demonstrate that [progress] to a certain extent.

“But in many ways I think I have been a lot better in that area. I feel like I’m a lot more on top of the car. I’m just much more on top of things on the race, in qualifying, strategically, my starts, all those aspects I believe that I have improved on all those aspects.

“I think now it’s just about carrying on improving on those details and building myself as a driver because racing, you never stop learning, just like in any sport there’s always something that can be improved and that’s what I’m working on every day to improve myself in all areas.”

Also Read:

• Williams monitoring Stroll/Force India move "race-by-race"
• Stroll: Force India move would not just be because of my father

It is an unconfirmed reality that Stroll will be leaving Williams for Force India after the team was bought by his father Lawrence, what is unknown is exactly when but the end of the season is the absolute latest.

Considering his future though, the former European F3 champion does accept he still has plenty of room for improvement.

“I have so much to learn,” Stroll said. “I gained so much experience every weekend, every time I get in the car, I just still feel like I’m learning. So there’s definitely a lot more to come.

“At the same time when I reflect on where I was last year I think I’ve come a long way as a driver just with seat time and experience. And I’m still only 19 so I think there’s a lot more to come.”

Lando Norris must learn that a prolonged stay in Formula 1 is not guaranteed as proved by the exit of Stoffel Vandoorne, former driver Johnny Herbert has claimed.

The young Briton has earned his opportunity to replace the Belgian at McLaren next season through his performances in junior categories and as a reserve driver for the Woking-based squad.

However, now that he will be on the grid in 2019, Herbert has warned that there can be no room for complacency despite being impressed by his attitude.

"I hope it's a sign, as young as they are, that they will be able to jump into an F1 seat and do the job," the current Sky Sports pundit was quoted by Motorsport.com.

"But, you always have Vandoorne's story, he had a brilliant career through the single-seater categories and gets to F1 and sadly it hasn't happened for him.

"You have to capitalise on the chance. They are young, yes, but it doesn't matter," he added. "If you don't do the job, you'll be out, and it's damn hard, unless you have a load of money in your pocket, to come back in again.

"You've got to grab it by the horns and use the situation you have to your advantage."

Also Read:

• Verstappen: Vandoorne never had an equal chance against Alonso
• Norris: Vandoorne unlucky with timing of McLaren F1 opportunity

Further motivating the 18-year-old is the competition against another young Briton in George Russell in F2, with the pair battling for the title with just four races to go.

Though Norris is already getting his promotion, for the Mercedes junior the situation is more complicated, however, Herbert does think he would be worthy of making the jump too.

"If George goes on to win the championship, and personally I think he will, he should get an F1 drive," he stated.

"It's good getting this experience from F2, in this tense battle that they have been in since race one. Hopefully they will be able to use that to their advantage in F1.

"That's where the hard work really starts, it's getting that momentum and carrying that through. The confidence that gives you is so, so powerful."

Charles Leclerc has the ability to beat Sebastian Vettel "right away" when he joins Ferrari in 2019, says former academy driver Raffaele Marciello.

The jury is still out on the Scuderia's decision to promote the Monegasque alongside the four-time world champion next season despite his junior record and strong rookie year with Sauber.

However, the 20-year-old himself has already played down the additional pressure that will be upon him at Maranello and Marciello wonders if Vettel is ready for the threat Leclerc may pose.

"I am convinced that when Charles arrives at Ferrari, he will be able to beat him right away," he was quoted by F1i.com.

Backing up his statement, the Italian pointed to 2014 and the difficulties he had alongside Daniel Ricciardo, who was in a situation very similar to Leclerc when he stepped up from Toro Rosso.

"Yes, and in the end, we saw it on track," he said when asked if he thought the Australian was faster that year.

"Of course, one could argue and say that the car of that year was more suited to the characteristics of Daniel rather than those of Sebastian, but we can say what we want: a true champion must always know how to adapt."

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When his dominance against Kimi Raikkonen in recent years was then suggested, Marciello also dismissed that comparison based on his own experience.

"When I drove during testing in Abu Dhabi in 2014, I was seven-tenths faster than Kimi, but those seven-tenths did not mean I was stronger than him," he claimed.

"Simply, I had a great desire to get on track and push to the limit, Kimi maybe has lost this type of motivation. A good comparison can be made using Fernando [Alonso], who was always in front of Raikkonen.

"Sure, it is true that Vettel also beats Kimi, but not always and anyway the gap between them is less."

A string of uncompetitive Ferraris is the only reason Fernando Alonso hasn't come close to matching the records of Michael Schumacher, his former boss Stefano Domenicali claims.

This weekend at the Russian Grand Prix, the Spaniard will match the German legend with his 307th race start, 15 short of the all-time record set by another ex-Scuderia driver in Rubens Barrichello.

With Alonso also set to call time on his F1 career at the end of this season, the assessment of the legacy he will leave has already begun and Domenicali believes despite the apparent gulf in the statistics, the double world champion shouldn't be undervalued.

"I rate Fernando an incredible driver," he told F1's Beyond the Grid podcast.

"I would say, as always, in terms of numbers, Michael. But Fernando… don’t forget that he was able to win and he was able to get closer to be very successful also with Ferrari.

"The difference from these two periods is from one side [with Schumacher] we had the best team ever in terms of positions in all the roles, in terms of performance, in terms of drivers," he continued.

"When Fernando was with Felipe [Massa] the car, unfortunately, was not the best for a lot of reasons and, despite that, we were able to get close to win championships."

Also Read:

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• Hamilton has "huge respect" for "one of the greatest" Alonso

Alonso's five-year stint with the Italian team, between 2010 and 2014, was often overshadowed by the emergence of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel before Mercedes assumed the dominant position at the start of the hybrid era.

But, as Domenicali points out, certainly in the Vettel years, the 37-year-old was the thorn in his side.

"I would say very unlucky we didn’t win 2010 and 2012 for two different reasons," he claimed.

"Despite that, we were able to arrive at the end fighting for the championship and this is an element that is not taken for granted because top drivers need to have a good car."

Sauber has confirmed Antonio Giovinazzi will get a second opportunity with the Swiss team alongside Kimi Raikkonen in an all-new line-up for 2019.

The Italian has raced with the team before, stepping in for Pascal Wehrlein at the opening two rounds of last season, but a difficult weekend in China seemingly dimmed the star power he had after claiming the GP2 title the year prior.

Since then, Charles Leclerc has become the new darling of the Ferrari academy but Giovinazzi has remained a reserve driver at Maranello and has made Friday appearances for Sauber, including another this weekend in Sochi.

He will head to Russia with a race seat contract in his back pocket, however, and to finally get a full-time chance naturally only caused one reaction.

“I am delighted to be joining the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team," he said on Tuesday. "This is a dream come true.

"It is a great pleasure to have the chance to race for this team. As an Italian, it is a huge honour for me to represent a brand as iconic and successful as Alfa Romeo in our sport.

"I would like to thank the Scuderia Ferrari and the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for giving me this great opportunity," he added. "I am very motivated and cannot wait to start working towards achieving great results together."

The 24-year-old is thought to be the replacement for Leclerc rather than Ericsson, with his promotion coming within the Scuderia's academy program as opposed to Raikkonen's one-on-one deal with Sauber.

It also confirms the departure of Marcus Ericsson after five years on the grid, four of which were with the Hinwil-based operation.

Just days before, however, the Swede was talking up his own performance based on how he had compared with Leclerc.

“I feel that I stepped it up the last five or six weekends," he said. “I scored more points than Charles [in the five races before Singapore] and Charles has signed a contract with Ferrari for a few years so I think that says quite a bit.

“If I can keep doing that, or even better, that’s what I need to do. If that’s enough for a contract or not that’s not up to me, but I need to keep pushing and trying to impress.”

Ultimately, however, it seems his results were not enough.