Daniel Ricciardo has acknowledged the Ferrari Formula 1 team is interested in signing him and that he regards it as “a compliment”, but believes it unlikely he could leave Red Bull.

Ferrari is currently considering whether to retain Kimi Raikkonen beyond 2015, while Ricciardo is amid a tough second season with Red Bull Racing and has yet to finish on the podium this year after winning three grands prix in ’14.

Asked about rumours of an approach from Ferrari, Ricciardo said he still had faith in Red Bull and his understanding was that he has a binding contract, but also appreciated the interest from Maranello.

“I won’t go into too much detail. First and foremost, not talking about contracts or anything, what I want is to win,” he said.

“A lot of my frustration this year is because of that.

“We are not in a position to win and as a driver that is the only thing I want, at least in this point of my career when I am still young and hungry, and I feel I have still have a lot of potential in me.

“With contracts, it is not as easy as saying ‘yeah I will go to Ferrari and that is that.’

“There are things in place, and right now it would be, from my understanding of contracts, it is not likely that I can get out.

“But at the same time, I really feel that Red Bull can make a change for next year and can get back up the front.

“I still think we have good people in the team. I think we still have the ingredients to do it.

“Going back on the Ferrari thing; it is nice to be recognised by a team like that so I will take it a compliment and see what happens.”

Ricciardo described a move to Ferrari as “unlikely” but not impossible – particularly in the context of Red Bull chief Dietrich Mateschitz’s threats to quit F1.

“I will probably never rule anything out completely, because I don’t have experience with contracts,” he said.

“I haven’t been in F1 all that long. I am sure things can change; anything can change.

“Dietrich said some things in the press as well, and you never know what is going to happen.”

He admitted Red Bull’s decline this season had been hard to take.

“It has tested my personality this year,” said Ricciardo, who has been increasingly outspoken in his frustration.

“I have never liked losing, as a kid, I got in fights with my best friends even playing a video game or something.

“I have become a better sportsman as I have gone on with age, I have handled losses better.

“But deep down my heart is competitive and I want to win, and proving what I did last year only makes that fire burn more.

“My career was going on a massive rise and now it has plataeued for this year; I accept that.”