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Christian Horner has revealed that talks with two manufacturers are taking place as Red Bull continues to work on its engine supplier crisis. Amid the Renault divorce, the energy drink company says it will have to quit formula one if it cannot secure a competitive alternative engine for 2016.
Mercedes, however, has ruled out working with Red Bull, Ferrari is believed to be offering only a 'B' engine, and Honda has played down reports linking it strongly with Red Bull's secondary team, Toro Rosso. Nonetheless, Red Bull Racing team boss Horner told the Austrian broadcaster Servus TV: "There are talks with two manufacturers."
Fascinatingly, although Mercedes' motor racing chief has categorically ruled out a deal for Red Bull, Briton Horner hinted that the German carmaker could still be an option. "The decision does not lie with Toto Wolff," he said. "It is at a higher level. There are many conversations going on behind the scenes, and obviously the promoter of formula one, Bernie Ecclestone, is worried about what's going to happen with us."
Horner admitted the situation is now urgent. "This is an important topic that hopefully we can get resolved in the next few weeks. It's critical. It's getting late -- very late," he said. "We are now at the beginning of October, and the designers at Milton Keynes want to know what to do with the RB12. When do we want to have the solution? Two weeks ago!"
"Adrian Newey said to me 'Christian, we need an answer. I know what to do with the front and the rear of the car, but we also need to know what to do with the middle'. Because it's not just about the engine," Horner explained, "it's about the cooling, which affects the shape of the sidepods. It's also about the transmission, which affects the shape of the rear end."
"Ultimately, the decision about what will happen is with Dietrich Mateschitz. My job - as soon as we know what engine we've got - is to put it all into effect immediately. But right now, as I sit here, we do not have a solution," he admitted.
"Yes, that is some sort of advantage for the other teams, but the quality of our work at Red Bull Racing is so high that we can cope with the delay. Everyone is highly motivated and we want to win again. But we do not want to continue as we have in the last year and a half," Horner insisted. If an acceptable solution is not found, however, and Mateschitz does pull the plug, Red Bull will be left with hundreds of employees with no work to do.
Horner insisted: "If we are not going to the grands prix any more, then we will look at other activities. We have many extremely talented people working at Milton Keynes, and we would have to look at how best to use that talent. For sure the staff are concerned," he admitted, "but I tell them 'Concentrate on your work and don't worry about what you can't influence'." (GMM)
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
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Replies (3)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Maybe they still talk with Renault for one of their teams? Red Bull has clearly shown that they dont even want to consider using Honda-power, and if Mercedes is out of the picture, then that is the only logical explanation. Wolff is not highest in the chain in Mercedes-Benz, but he do have the support of the higher ups in Daimler AG in terms of decisions in motorsport: they will likely listen to his advice first and foremost before they decide whether they'll supply Red Bull or not.
In any case, delay is never good, and the more they wait the more they'll suffer from it in 2016. Red Bull definitely need a deal quickly.
khasmir
Posts: 893
Seems like Horner is very honest and maybe I sense a little bit of despair? ;)
But if it's true that TR has a deal for a 2015 spec Ferrari PU's then certainly RB cannot be left behind. I can't image RB quitting and TR staying.
scf1fan
Posts: 58
Me thinks that RB has shot themselves to within an inch of their F1 life! 1) The Renaults are still faster than the Hondas, 2) the chassis is already designed for the Renaults; any redesign will bring it's own problems and 3) RBR had a contract with Renault for another year! (I guarantee that a Renault engine would be better than NO engine . . .)
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The fact that RB MANAGEMENT feels that they are entitled to a front line MB or Ferrari PU just because their Renault is a little off is almost sickening. If anyone should pack it up it's Marko and Mateschitz. I have no use for the rest of the RB circus act they call advertising if they aren't going to be decent sports in a sport that I've followed since I was a young boy.