Horner confirms Renault is working with Ilmor

  • Published on 18 Dec 2014 10:13
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Christian Horner has confirmed that Red Bull's engine supplier Renault is now working with Mario Illien. As the French engine marque faltered at the start of the new 'power unit' era, rumours Renault had turned to Swiss Illien - one of the most famous engine specialists in all of motor sport - and his company Ilmor began to swirl.

Illien was then spotted in the Red Bull garage in Abu Dhabi. "It is great that Renault are now working with Ilmor," Horner, boss of Renault's works team Red Bull, is quoted by the French magazine Auto Hebdo. "The company has been faced with similar problems in Indycar. Mario comes with a lot of experience and is able to look at the problems with fresh eyes and perspective."

Horner also said Red Bull is playing an active role in helping Renault to chase down dominant Mercedes. "I'm talking about modelling, simulation, optimisation of air flow, things like that -- areas where we have some experience and we can help," he revealed.

Mercedes' rivals are having to simply up their game in the battle against F1's new power, given that efforts to change the engine rules for 2015 failed. Lotus, on the other hand, is going from Renault to Mercedes for the 2015 season, with a team engineer revealing the extent of the problem to Auto Motor und Sport by revealing the switch "gives us 85 horse power more and 18 kilograms less".

It's an insight into the dilemma facing Mercedes' rivals, who may be helped by Bernie Ecclestone at Thursday's meeting of the Strategy Group. The F1 supremo is trying to scrap altogether the turbo V6 rules for 2016. "I believe if you got everybody in the room, secret ballot, there would only be one company interested in retaining this engine, and that is Mercedes," he said. (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2023

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
31 - Apr 2
Australia
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
5 - May 7
United States of America
19 - May 21
Italy
26 - May 28
Monaco
2 - Jun 4
Spain
16 - Jun 18
Canada
30 - Jul 2
Austria
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
1 - Sep 3
Italy
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
22 - Sep 24
Japan
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
3 - Mar 5
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
16 - Jun 18
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
22 - Sep 24
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar