Renault Formula 1 boss Cyril Abiteboul has not ruled out a movꦐe for Sebastian Vettel for 2021 if Daniel Ricciardo were t🍃o leave the team.

Ricciardo is one of the leading drivers out of contract at the end of the season and recent speculation has continued to link him with a pos🌟sible Ferrari switch for 2021, replacing Vettel, 🎐whose contract also expires at the end of the year.

The Australian shocked the F1 paddock when he left Red Bull for Renault in 2019 but he went on to endure a disappointing first season with the Fren✅ch manufacturer as it slipped to fifth in the constructors’ championship.

“I don't want to say 'no' because he's a great driver,” Abiteboul told the French CANAL+ show La Grille when♈ asked whether a swap deal with Ferrari would appeal to him.

“He’s a great champion, we worked together on the engine side, and we won together. But I'm maybe I’m more inspired to work with the drivers of tomorrow than yesterday. It's very💝 harsh ♋to sum it up like that, so please don't sum it up like that to Sebastian!

“We also have an academy of drivers,” he added. “We've got drivers who will m꧑aybe be ready in 2021 or 2022, so we've also got to have that mind.

“We create𓃲d [the Renault Sport Academy] in 2016 with the objective of getting a driver into Formula 1 in 2021. We're going to be in 2021 [soon], obviously.

“There's Christian Lundgaard, who is one option among others, but he's got 💖his season of F2 to do – and we've got a season with Daniel t♔o do.”

However, Abiteboul is convinced Ricciardo w🅘ants to remain at Renault and see out the project that attracted him to the Enstone squad in the first 𒀰place and prove his doubters wrong. 

“[Daniel] will obviously be someone who's very much cour🔜ted [by other tꦏeams],” he explained.

“I worry that things♔ will go quick𒐪ly, and so we need to be very alert to not lose opportunities [to keep him].

“I think Daniel is… veryღ attached to his decision to go to Renault – which was heavily criticised, notably by certain parts of the British press who didn't understand it.

“I think this idea to build a project which comprises the human, technical and s⛦porting sides is something close ꧃to his heart.

“He's someone who is guided by his emotions and I think he wants to sho🐻w that he can be true to his choice. He wants to show tha𝕴t his choice [to sign for Renault] was a good choice.”