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Red Bull is now all but admitting that its next engine partner will be Ferrari. The energy drink stable, also comprising the Faenza based team Toro Rosso, has reportedly told Renault it is terminating the contracts, and strong rumours suggest even Carlos Ghosn has now accepted the split. "I can say more after our meeting," Dr Helmut Marko, the Red Bull official closest to team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, told Speed Week, referring to a forthcoming meeting with Renault in Singapore.
The Ferrari option materialised quickly, amid reports Mercedes had decided against working with Red Bull, and Ferrari's Sergio Marchionne entered the fray with a new offer. Marko confirmed: "The Mercedes discussion came to an end before it went into any depth. There were certain conditions that we never even came close to discussing in detail. Now let's see what engine we will go with," he added.
"Perhaps we will beat them anyway, which would be even more unpleasant for them than if it had happened with a Mercedes engine." As Honda is struggling even more than Renault, there is almost no doubt now that Ferrari will power not only Red Bull next year but also Toro Rosso. "That would certainly be the ideal solution," said Marko, referring to the "synergies" between Red Bull's two teams.
Asked, however, if Ferrari is only a 'temporary solution' while Red Bull works on a longer-term plan, Marko did not deny that. Auto Motor und Sport has speculated that Red Bull has been toying with collaborations with AVL, Ilmor and the VW brands, even proposing to finance some of the development costs. "We see this (the Ferrari deal) as a first step in order to regain a competitive engine," said Marko. "So that we are no longer hampered from the outset."
All that is pending now is the final signing-off by Ferrari and Red Bull, but Marko insisted that a further delay will not hurt preparations for 2016. "No," he said, "because Red Bull Racing is very well placed technically. We are less pressed for time than Toro Rosso, because they are simply a smaller team. But quite clearly, the sooner a decision, the better." (GMM)
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
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Replies (7)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I honestly wonder what Red Bull will do if they end up terminating their Renault contract and is refused by both Mercedes and Ferrari. Will they go Honda? ;)
But it sure looks like Ferrari will supply yet another team next year. I do however wonder if Renault will breach Lotus' Mercedes supply, or if they'll race with Mercedes power next year.
khasmir
Posts: 893
So if Renault finally makes the decision to buy Lotus things might look like this for 2016:
- Merc/Merc
- Williams/Merc
- Force India/Merc
- Manor/Merc ???
- Ferrari/Ferrari
- Red Bull/Ferrari
- Torro Rosso/Ferrari
- Sauber/Ferrari
- Renault Lotus/Renault
Only one team with Renault PU's, is that what they really want?
khasmir
Posts: 893
I forgot Haas/Ferrari...
Can Ferrari supply 5 teams including themselves?
khasmir
Posts: 893
Lol, and McLaren/Honda ;)
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Isn't there a regulation on how many teams a supplier is allowed to deliver engines to? Im pretty sure Mercedes reached that limit when they began supplying four teams last year.
dlrees
Posts: 1
I'm pretty sure you're right about an engine supply limit. I remember reading somewhere that if RBR were to split from Renault and go to Mercedes power for 2016, then Toro Rosso would go to Ferrari power. However now that RBR are surely going for Ferrari power, I assume Toro Rosso will be staying with Renault power. I'm not sure
khasmir
Posts: 893
I don't think there is a limit in the rules, but there sure is a limit on how many PU's one supplier can supply. If I remember correctly Merc stated a while ago that four teams (including themselves) is their limit. Else they need to invest a lot to supply more, and that pushes the costs up.
These PU deals need to be signed asap to make sure there are enough of them for everyone. I don't even want to think about the worst case scenario, that would be ridiculous for F1...