Red Bull's Christian Horner has confirmed that GP2 champion Pierre Gasly is currently the front-runner to replace Renault-bound Carlos Sainz at Toro Rosso.
A member of the Red Bull family since 2014, the 21-year-old hopeful was linked to a seat with Toro Rosso last season but was ultimately barred from stepping up to the junior outfit as it retained both Sainz and Dani Kvyat for 2017.
Gasly was subsequently sent to Japan to compete in the this year's Super Formula series in which he currently stands second with two wins.
Sainz's move to Renault has now put the French driver as close as he will probably ever be to an F1 driver.
"Carlos joining Renault creates a space and the purpose of Toro Rosso is to develop young talent," Horner said in Singapore.
"Like Carlos, like Max [Verstappen], like Daniel [Ricciardo] and like Sebastian Vettel before them.
"Pierre Gasly is the reigning GP2 champion, he's winning races in Japan at the moment and he would be logical, but nothing is confirmed."
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