Red Bull and Renault not confirming 2019 split

2017 F1 season

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Red Bull and Renault are neither confirming nor denying reports they will split after 2018.

Reports ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix claimed they will end their relationship after next season. The pair won four consecutive world championships between 2010 and 2013 but relations soured in 2015 as Renault continued to struggle to master the V6 hybrid turbo regulations.

Singapore Grand Prix practice in pictures
However Red Bull team principal Christian Horner refused to shed light on the report. “Anything that is beyond 2018 is speculation,” he said in today’s FIA press conference. “That’s neither confirming nor denying.”

“The situation for 2018 is absolutely clear,” Horner continued. “Anything beyond that will be dealt with behind closed doors, not through the media in terms of what will be the future.”

“I think the situation post-’18 is very clear. Our focus at the moment is designing the best car we can for ’18. We’ll have a TAG-Heuer, Renault-provided engine. Anything beyond that is speculation and conjecture. There’ll be all kinds of rumours I’m sure between now and then.”

Renault managing director Cyril Abiteboul also did not elaborate on the claims but stated any change in their engine supply must meet their strategic aims.

“We’ve got a number of obligations to the FIA as an engine manufacturer,” he said. “There was a reference to an obligation towards FOM.”

“As an engine supplier our business is obviously to supply engines. Not under any terms, not under any sort of circumstance and it has to serve our strategic interest which I guess is what will be discussed in the future.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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8 comments on “Red Bull and Renault not confirming 2019 split”

  1. I hate Helmut Marko so much, that i think this guy by himself is a good reason to hope for Renault to show them a middlefinger. RBR has been atrocious with their historic “partner” since 2010, they show no loyalty, no respect and share no benefits when they can.

    I think RBR is probably the worst team to supply engine at the moment, at least this is how it looks like from a fan/PR perspective. Why on earth would you want to supply an engine to a team that will dragg you in the mudd each and every time they can? I think Ferrari and Mercedes well realised that, and this is in my opinion the main reason they refused to work with them in the past. Saying this is because they are too much of threat is just RB guys deluding themselves.

    Let’s hop for RB that Honda came good, otherwise I can see Honda missing McLaren and Alonso’s comments.

    1. Agree with you.
      Renault is supplying engines to RBR since 2007…

    2. Well, Renault came with the infinity idea and while they were probably 50% percent responsible for all those titles, they have been delivering crap for 3 years now. And will most likely do again next year.

      1. @passingisoverrated
        Delivering crap for 3 years now? There is LITERALLY a blurb about red bull breaking a track record literally RIGHT NOW on the front page…

        They’ve also won races this year?
        I see someone delivering crap, and it ain’t Renault!

    3. You can hate on Red Bull and Marko all you want @pyon but what really discusts me in this whole story is the power of the engine manufacturers. If no one but Honda delivers an engine to Red Bull and Honda still is nowhere by 2019, Renault will effectively have pushed one of their main rivals to the exit door.

      1. This is too soon to speculate about this, I have no doubt they will find a solution in due time, helped by the FOM if needed.

        However RB created this stupid situation themselves in my opinion. For an engine manufacturer (all top team except RB) the reputation of the brand is very important. RB have been using this to pressure them and this is pathetic.
        @paeschli

      2. Field Marshall Haig's tortoise, Alan
        17th September 2017, 10:13

        Correction: Red Bull will have pushed themselves out of the door.

        Part of running an F1 team is maintaining relationships with suppliers, sponsors, etc. If Williams were to spend the next 3 years publicly complaining about how terrible Martini are for not giving them enough money to enable a realistic shot at the championship, should Martini be judged at fault for deciding not to continue the relationship? Should the FIA be forced to provide them with replacement sponsors? Of course not, that would be ridiculous.

  2. Rumours, confirmations, denials… argh, it’s all too much to keep up with!
    I’ll wait for Keith to sort it all out and write up something nice, clear, and concise, like he always does!

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