Christian Horner coy over Red Bull 2014 options despite words from Raikkonen camp

Christian Horner has refused to definitively rule Kimi Raikkonen out of the running for the vacant seat at Red Bull for 2014 and, in a fresh twist to the transfer affair, suggested the World Champions have "more options than you could possibly think".

With Fernando Alonso's name even having been thrown into the ring at the last race prior to the summer break in Hungary, Red Bull's decision over the second seat for 2014 appears to have become more complex than it had first appeared several weeks ago. Indeed, Horner made clear that Red Bull wouldn't be rushed into making a final judgement. "I think the problem is you get to this point of the year and there's so many rumours, hearsay, this, that and the other. I saw he [Raikkonen] was going to Ferrari a couple of days ago," he said. "There is no transfer window in Formula 1. We are not obliged to make a decision until we choose to. As I say, we want to make sure that we make the right decision and we will take the time that we feel appropriate to make that decision." While categorically debunking a rumour that Vettel had vetoed an approach for fellow World Champion Raikkonen - "absolute rubbish, he doesn't have a right of veto" - Horner also denied there was a clear difference of opinion within Red Bull's hierarchy over the search for a new driver amid suggestions that owner Dietrich Mateschitz favoured promoting Ricciardo. "Ultimately Dietrich has to sign off on any decision of that magnitude but he of course will listen to the recommendations that Adrian [Newey] and I put forward," Horner added.