user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Red Bull ramping up efforts to become engine maker

Red Bull ramping up efforts to become engine maker

  • Published on 26 Mar 2015 10:36
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Red Bull could be ramping up efforts to go it alone in formula one as an engine manufacturer. In the days between Australia and Malaysia, open war broke out between the energy drink-owned camp and its works engine supplier.

Renault, now openly contemplating a return to full team ownership, hit back furiously this week at what Cyril Abiteboul called "lies" about the real reasons for Red Bull's lack of pace in 2015. After those comments hit the headlines, the Frenchman posted to Twitter a photo of boxing gloves, with the caption: "Packing up to Malaysia."

Indeed, the FIA has mischievously paired Abiteboul with Red Bull's Christian Horner for what will be a fiery official press conference on Friday. In the wake of the obvious divorce throes, however, there are signs of impending peace.

Reporting on his blog f1-insider.com, German correspondent Ralf Bach says Abiteboul has apologised for the "lies" outburst, justifying it on the basis that Renault's executive board instructed him to hit back publicly against Red Bull's sniping. Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko agreed: "We see this matter as settled and are now looking forward constructively."

The tentative declaration of peace could mean that Renault and Red Bull are closer to deciding their respective roadmaps for the future. "During the season," Abiteboul is quoted by f1news.ru, "we will analyse the situation and submit our findings to the board of directors. In any case, it's not a question for this year, as we have a two-year contract with Red Bull which is valid until the end of 2016 and we intend to comply with it."

It appears Red Bull may also be preparing for a future without Renault. There are rumours the team was so critical of its French partner in and after Australia because it is paving the road to debut its own 'Red Bull'-inspired improvements. Former Mercedes guru Mario Illien and his Ilmor organisation have been drafted in to look at Renault's turbo V6 power unit and are currently working on proposed modifications.

Also arranged by Red Bull is to run the Ilmor upgrades at the state-of-the-art facilities at AVL, an Austrian specialist powertrain company. And Michael Schmidt, the highly-respected correspondent for Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, claims: "Red Bull has ordered its own 'VTT' facility'."

He said the only other companies with access to a 'virtual test track' - allowing full car testing under a roof - are Mercedes and Honda. Schmidt added: "When you ask what a team needs with this most extreme form of a dynamometer, there is really only one answer -- to become an engine manufacturer." (GMM)
F1 News Mercedes ART Renault Honda

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
141
2
Ferrari
120
3
McLaren
69
4
Mercedes
34
5
Aston Martin
33
6
Visa Cash App RB
7
7
Haas F1
4
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Team profile

Mercedes
Mercedes
Show full profile
show sidebar