Red Bull has been highly critical of Renault, as the French manufacturer struggled with poor reliability and performance this season, and the team requested the termination of its current deal, which runs until the end of 2016.

But the four-time world champion team is now in talks with Renault about seeing out its contract after struggling to get an alternative supply from Mercedes, Ferrari or Honda.

The FIA also plans a tender for an independent and cost-effective engine but that will not become available until 2017 at the earliest.

“Next year, no matter what the FIA does for future engines, it will not be available,” said Mercedes non-executive chairman Lauda.

“So what would I do if I am Red Bull? I can tell you.

“Ferrari said no engine, Mercedes can’t because we are four teams already so there is only Renault left.

“If you ask [Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut] Marko honestly, ‘Did you do too much negative talk in your relationship with Renault?’ He always will say to me ‘yes’.

“If Red Bull want to continue and I think they want to, then find a way with Renault.”

“If they don’t continue, we have a big problem, not only for Red Bull.”

Ecclestone claimed last weekend that Red Bull began to cut ties with Renault because it believed it had a Mercedes deal off the back of talks that took place in July.

Mercedes says it was open to a deal under very specific terms, but the German firm’s bosses said Red Bull never picked up discussions again to finalise an agreement.

Honda is believed to be considering the possibility of offering supply to Red Bull, although McLaren Group CEO Ron Dennis is understood to be against the idea.