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Red Bull's engine saga is speeding ahead faster even than the cars on the slippery Sochi track on Friday. The day began with the energy drink company reportedly still in talks with Ferrari.
But then reports emerged that while the Maranello team was happy to help the sister team Toro Rosso with a supply of 2015 engines, it was ruling out a deal for Red Bull Racing.
"Both Red Bull and Ferrari want to win the world championship," Bernie Ecclestone told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "so it is also in Ferrari's interests to keep Red Bull out of the game."
The F1 supremo has spent hours in separate meetings with Red Bull, Ferrari and even Mercedes officials, although Toto Wolff insisted the German marque is standing firm on not leaping to Red Bull's rescue.
"I can arrange for people to talk to each other, but I can't force them to do anything," Ecclestone said.
During the second free practice session on Friday, a rumour then began swirling that talks between Red Bull and Renault were back on.
A more upbeat Ecclestone told reporters: "Everything's being sorted out so I wouldn't worry about it. I think it's all been cleared up now. It's being cleared up, whatever they are going to have.
"Obviously if they have an engine, that will be positive."
Asked when an announcement will be made, he answered: "I've no idea. When they've decided, they'll come out.
"He (Dietrich Mateschitz) never fell out of love (with F1). He just wants to be in a position where he can be competitive. And that's what will happen. He'll be ok.
"He knows what he's doing."
But Red Bull's Christian Horner suggested the F1 supremo's optimism may be premature.
"The great thing about Bernie is he seems to know a lot more than the rest of us," he told the BBC. "If he knows it's all sorted, that's all fine then."
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
275 members have this team as their favourite
Replies (4)
Login to replyianf1
Posts: 185
Nice.
*If the quote is accurate*, we have
'Everything's being sorted out so I wouldn't worry about it.' (present tense, but a deal is done)
<next breath>
'I think it's all been cleared up now.' (past tense, a deal might have been struck?)
<and then in the next breath>
'It's being cleared up, whatever they are going to have.' (future tense, actually I'm not really sure what is happening)
So that's all bases covered then. Classic.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I dont quite see how Horner suggested that Ecclestone's opitmism is premature with that statement. But in any case, with neither Ferrari or Mercedes willing to supply RB, and RB not wanting to get Honda power, I can only see them being forced to take another season with Renault, assuming the french supplier want to do it, and Im not too sure about that.
khasmir
Posts: 893
This is becoming ridiculous, seems like everyone knows what is going to happen except the teams involved.
presic
Posts: 21
I do not know whats happening :-) But Renault has a contract and has always said they will be ready to honor that throughout 2016. I would think this is the best way forward for RBR. Especially while Renault is developing the engine further, as opposed to a 2015 spec Ferrari.
That contract has never been terminated. And I hope that BOTH teams (RBR and TR) will stay with Renault.
For 2017, the VW Group may be out of reach, so not too sure about 2017. But let's get them to race in 2016, if nothing else, then for Max!