Daniel Ricciardo says he will "talk to Honda" as he makes his decision about which team to drive for in 2019.
After Red Bull made the decision to swap Renault for Honda engines next year, Australian Ricciardo is now weighing up offers from Red Bull, McLaren and perhaps Ferrari and Mercedes.
'Putting the pieces together'
"Next week, Red Bull will push for a decision from me. I want to talk to Honda to better understand the transition to their engine. I'm trying to put the puzzle together but I'm optimistic," Ricciardo said at Paul Ricard.
READ: Ricciardo not denying $20m McLaren offer
McLaren boss Eric Boullier confirmed there is a "normal, gentle discussion" underway with Ricciardo, as the British team undoubtedly looks for a potential replacement for Fernando Alonso.
"We love Daniel and personally I've known him for many, many years. As long as a driver of that calibre is on the market you look if there is any discussion possible," Boullier added.
If Ricciardo does jump ship, Red Bull is likely to pluck the 'on loan' Carlos Sainz back from Renault.
"The market is a bit strange but we are happy with the drivers we have. We will see how it will change over the next few weeks," admitted Renault advisor Alain Prost.