Date revealed: October 18 2020
Purple Bull crew principal Christian Horner thinks Renault could be a completely totally different firm to take care of now.
Renault first started supplying Red Bull with their engines again in 2007, however come 2018 that relationship broke down past restore, main Purple Bull to change to Honda energy from 2019.
However Honda will go away Components 1 on the finish of the 2021 season, which means Purple Bull should now discover a new engine provider, and the rules state they must return to Renault for the reason that French producer at present don’t have any buyer or companion groups.
“We’ve received to do our due diligence and we’re grateful that Honda have given us near a year-and-a-halfs value of discover,” Horner informed Channel 4.
“If they’d made this resolution this time subsequent 12 months that may have been disastrous for us.
“So that they’ve been very courteous, they’ve given us quite a lot of time to simply soak up what are all of the eventualities? What are the FIA going to do? What’s their response going to be?
“And I feel by the top of the 12 months, as a result of by January already for the 2022 rules design might want to begin, we’ll must have an answer to what engine will probably be within the Purple Bull from 2022 onward.”
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Regardless of the past tensions, neither Purple Bull or Renault are ruling out a reunion, and Horner thinks Renault could be a completely totally different outfit to take care of now beneath the management of their new CEO Luca de Meo.
“There’s doubtlessly solely three engine suppliers left in Components 1. Toto [Wolff, Mercedes boss] has already stated no,” Horner continued.
“Toto was swift to say no, that he’s already full. You’ll be able to perceive him being reluctant to present a crew which is at present his closest competitor considered one of his strongest belongings.
“Clearly then you’ve got Ferrari and Renault, and I feel Renault may be very totally different now beneath the management of Luca de Meo. He has formidable plans relating to Components 1, after which you’ve got the state of affairs with Ferrari.
“So now we have to do all of the due diligence on the entire choices.”
In fact, the Purple Bull and Renault rivalry was clear from Horner’s run-ins with Renault crew boss Cyril Abiteboul alone.
However with the Renault F1 outfit rebranding to Alpine for 2021 and Abiteboul being positioned in control of the model, Horner believes the Frenchman now has “greater fish to fry”.
“Cyril, from what I perceive, has greater fish to fry with the Alpine position that he’s taking over,” stated Horner.
“He gained’t need to be getting concerned within the murky provide of engines in a Components 1 paddock.
“Who is aware of? As I say, we’ve received to do all our homework, have a look at the entire choices and in the end Mr Mateschitz, having all these choices in entrance of him, will decide of which manner we’re going to go.”
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