Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull will have to accept whatever engine it can get for 2016 as it heads into November without a deal in place.
Red Bull had hoped to secure a more competitive engine next year, but in starting the process of breaking its ties with current supplier Renault it has found itself in an increasingly desperate situation. Mercedes and Ferrari have ruled themselves out of a deal, while McLaren is blocking a Honda tie up and Renault is still contemplating its future beyond the end of the year.
But as deadlines continue to pass, Ricciardo says his team cannot afford to be picky.
"The longer it gets, the more difficult it becomes but I probably have more confidence that we will be on the grid than I had before," he said. "I believe we will be there because everyone wants to be, it's just knowing what we are going to be with is hard to know.
"Honestly, in terms of what engine we are going to have it is still unknown, but the vibe is that we still want to stay here. Unless no-one gives us an engine, that is the only thing that will stop us from racing. I think we will take what we can get because we want to be racing."
Ricciardo believes Red Bull's desire to succeed should not be confused with arrogance.
"The guys got used to winning for four or five years, but for me that's a sign of a true team. You do become addicted to the success and you are not happy when you don't have it. The mechanics are all competitive, they do training and they run nearly every night around the track, so they already have that aspect in them.
"It is just a good bunch of people, very feisty and very competitive to succeed. Maybe the image of Red Bull as well, I don't know how to describe it, but the image of the brand... you always want to be the best. Some fans see it as being spoiled because now we aren't winning we are complaining, but I don't think it is excuses, we just don't like losing."