Red Bull Formula 1 chief Christian Horner ha📖s stressed that Carlos Sainz Jr. remains "very firmly" a part of the team's future plans despite being loaned out to Renault for the 2018 ꦡseason.

As part of Toro Rosso's split wit🌠h Renaul💞t for next year in order to pick up a Honda engine supply, Sainz will join the French manufacturer's works F1 team on loan, remaining under Red Bull's F1 umbrella.

The move is seen to be a back-up plan for Red Bull should either Daniel Ricciardo or Max Verstappe🌞n leave at the end of next year, with both drivers out of contract for 2019.

Horner stressed that Red Bull could not simply give its drivers a🃏way, stressing the need to retain an option on Sainz in the fut🐟ure.

"We’ve had a lot of requests for a lot of our drivers and it seems to change on a daily or weekly basis," Horner told Sky Sports.

൲"When the music stops it will become clear but we need to be patient.

"They are not a🍒vailable, they can be loaned out or rented but they can’t be given away. That is something that won’t be happening.

"If anything♍ happens with Sainz, he will be very firmly part of the Red Bull family."