Red Bull have completely ruled out suggestions that they face losing Daniel Ricciardo at the end of the year.

After the similar rumours of 2015, a potential move to Maranello for the Australian was put back on the agenda this week by countryman and 1980 world champion Alan Jones.

Dr Helmut Marko quickly dismissed it, saying that Ricciardo's contract for 2017 is "watertight".

That did not stop the paddock banter, leading to an embarrassing moment for Ricciardo in the FIA press conference when Sebastian Vettel tried to put a red cap on his former teammate's head.

However, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said in Melbourne: "He's under contract. The contractual situation we have with Daniel is extremely clear."

Marko reiterated to Austrian news agency APA: "Ricciardo has a long-term contract."

However, team owner Dietrich Mateschitz said recently that if a driver really wants to leave Red Bull, as Vettel did two years ago, he will not stop him.

Marko explained: "Vettel had a clause that he can go if a certain performance is not achieved. Ricciardo does not have this clause.

"We built Daniel up and did not give him all of that support so that he can beat us in a Ferrari. This is not charity."

The 2016 season begins with the Australian Grand Prix tomorrow.