Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has admitted supplying Red Bull with engines could be "an attractive option" for the German manufacturer.
It is a significant change of tune for the Silver Arrows outfit, having earlier ruled out working with its arch enemy and saying Mercedes is at "full capacity" in terms of being able to supply customer engines to other teams.
But if the currently Mercedes-powered Lotus is bought by Renault, there may be a vacancy. Wolff admits, however, that Red Bull's 2016 contract with Renault is a potential hurdle.
"There is an agreement in place," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "and we do not want to interfere in legal matters between the parties.
"But if I put on my Mercedes Motorsport hat, and I speak in the interests of F1, I must say that it is an attractive option because it would bind us to a brand that has appeal among young people, and one that is a winner," Wolff added.
"Of course, as the head of the team, it's not really ideal to strengthen a competitor who knows how to make winning cars," he acknowledged.
In 2005 Red Bull bought the Jaguar F1 operation and used Cosworth engines in their debut season, before switching to Ferrari power for 2006 and finally settling for a deal with Renault in 2007 which has lasted until this day.
However the partnership, which delivered eight F1 world titles in four years, took a dive since the outset of the new turbo era.
Red Bull have repeatedly, and very publicly, pointed a finger at Renault's failure to produce an engine capable of challenging Mercedes at the pinnacle of the sport, which in turn has prompted both organisations to reconsider their presence in Formula 1. The saga continues...
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