Team principal Christian Horner concedes Red Bull's title chances are probably over but he feels they can close the gap on the leaders.

Daniel Ricciardo is fourth in the Drivers' standings, behind the two Mercedes drivers and Ferrari's championship leader Sebastian Vettel.

The Australian is 85 points behind Vettel and team-mate Max Verstappen is a further 50 points adrift, while Red Bull are third in the Constructors' Championship.

Horner says silverware is now all but out of reach for the Milton Keynes-based outfit after a tough start to the season.

However, Red Bull did improve in the races leading up to the summer break and Horner feels they can close the gap on both Ferrari and Mercedes in the final nine grands prix of the campaign.

“We are sitting here, six podiums and a grand prix victory. We are further away than where we want to be from Mercedes and Ferrari,” Horner said, as reported by Crash.net.

“But if we look at the four races [between Montreal and Silverstone] Ferrari have only outscored us by two points and we haven’t had 100 per cent reliability in those races. In the last few races we have made good ground.”

He added: “From a championship point of view, I think the gap between us and Mercedes and Ferrari is too big to haul back.

“But I think I would like to at least outscore Ferrari in the second half of the year. If we can get into a situation to challenge for podiums and the higher places on the podium a couple of races between now and the end of the year.

“That is a realistic and I think an aggressive target for us.”