Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko says it would consider Esteban Ocon for a Toro Rosso seat, if he severs his ties with Mercedes.
Ocon has been affiliated with Mercedes since his junior days, with the manufacturer’s backing facilitating his graduation to Formula 1 with Manor, before switching to Force India.
Ocon is poised to lose his Force India seat to Lance Stroll and his last remaining option is ostensibly at Williams, after previous opportunities at Renault and McLaren fell through.
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has previously stressed that he would be willing for Ocon to sit out a year of racing in order to keep the youngster associated with the company.
Toro Rosso confirmed on Saturday morning that it has re-recruited Daniil Kvyat for 2019 but the identity of his team-mate remains uncertain.
“We have a seat,” Marko told Sky Sports. “Mercedes doesn't have a seat.
“If he's [Ocon] free from all contracts, we could discuss it. I mean all contracts.”
Marko added that incumbent Brendon Hartley “knows” he has the target to “beat Gasly” across the remainder of 2018 should he want to remain with the team.
Kvyat’s appointment will mark his third stint with Toro Rosso, and Marko believes the Russian has now overcome the “mental problems” that affected his 2016/17 seasons.
“Daniil changed, he is a far more mature personality,” said Marko.
“He was working with a different team, so he saw the whole atmosphere and working programme, and he also found out how difficult it is to get a Formula 1 seat.
“We stayed in contact all over the time. He was well-informed what Ricciardo was going to do. He knew it before most other people knew it. He did a smart call just before Ricciardo called me.
“We will give him a third chance because we always believed he's very fast, but his mental problems, I think he has solved.
“He is a far more mature driver, and I'm sure we will see some very positive races from him.”
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