Breaking news
Formula 1
Red Bull issues ultimatum to struggling Renault
Could Red Bull be looking elsewhere for an engine provider
GMM
Edited: Apr 2, 2014, 7:34 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Apr.2 (GMM) Red Bull has issued troubled engine supplier Renault with an ultimatum -- improve or be dumped.
Although the reigning world champions have emerged from the depths of a winter crisis, Dr Helmut Marko insisted Renault has a long way to go if it wants to stay under the engine cover of the team's Adrian Newey-penned cars.
Indeed, Marko has claimed the credit for much of Renault's improvement since the winter, revealing he installed a crisis team comprising Red Bull and Toro Rosso engineers at the French marque's Viry headquarters.
Now, he told Germany's Bild newspaper his patience is running out.
"If there is no noticeable improvement in two or three months, we will definitely be talking about an alternative," said Marko, who is famously close to Red Bull's team owner Dietrich Mateschitz.
Until then, he said Red Bull is working on compensating for an 80 horse power deficit through car changes -- and hoping for trouble at the front of the Grands Prix.
Renault engineers 30
Photo by: XPB Images
"We cannot put additional horse power in the engine ourselves," said Marko. "But we can hope for trouble between Rosberg and Hamilton and drive past them."
He is referring to the internal battle between Mercedes' 2014 driver duo Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, who so far in 2014 have traded easy race wins.
Mercedes' Toto Wolff admits he is aware of the potential for problems.
"We are spending quite some time discussing those things, discussing scenarios and discussing situations," he said when asked about the prospect of the driver relationship boiling over.
"It's Mercedes and it's the team that comes first, but one day it (the situation) will be rubbish," Austrian Wolff told the Mirror newspaper.
"What makes a difference is that these guys have known each other for such a long time and they have a fair relationship with each other.
"But it doesn't mean that they are not extremely competitive and that they will try to use every advantage they can," he added.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix – Preview
Next article Frentzen has fix for 'processional' F1
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
GMM
The season is still very long - Rosberg
Formula 1
Formula 1
The season is still very long - Rosberg
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Formula 1
Formula 1
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
More from
Lewis Hamilton
‘I’ll try to win, somehow’ – Can Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fight back for F1 Brazilian GP victory?
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
‘I’ll try to win, somehow’ – Can Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fight back for F1 Brazilian GP victory?
F1 Brazilian GP: Sunday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
F1 Brazilian GP: Sunday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
More from
Mercedes
‘Kimi Antonelli isn’t Ayrton Senna yet, but he may be a Senninha’ – Toto Wolff
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
13 h
‘Kimi Antonelli isn’t Ayrton Senna yet, but he may be a Senninha’ – Toto Wolff
F1 2026 calendar update: Imola GP off the table, no plan B if war escalates
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
15 h
F1 2026 calendar update: Imola GP off the table, no plan B if war escalates
Latest news
Samantha Busch full speech as she accepts Kyle Busch's Most Popular Driver award
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 4 h
Samantha Busch full speech as she accepts Kyle Busch's Most Popular Driver award
Kyle Busch posthumously wins NASCAR Cup Most Popular Driver Award
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
5 h
Kyle Busch posthumously wins NASCAR Cup Most Popular Driver Award
Jamie Little will not return to NASCAR broadcast booth in 2027
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 8 h
Jamie Little will not return to NASCAR broadcast booth in 2027
Logano, Sargeant, and Muniz among Ford drivers taking part in Daytona exhibition race
General
Misc General 9 h
Logano, Sargeant, and Muniz among Ford drivers taking part in Daytona exhibition race
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe