I wouldn't be surprised if Red Bull never win a race again. Their decline has been so rapid, they've lost so many key personnel and it's looking like Newey's going to be completely out of the picture after this season. The rumours about Renault looking to buy Toro Rosso are most intriguing. Surely Red Bull wouldn't allow this happen if they were planning on continuing to use Renault, they'd lose works status. So it either looks like Red Bull are planning to withdraw entirely or have another supplier coming on board, or possibly even plan on building their own engine, which would be unlikely.
Selling STR could be a buy out of their contract with renault. Then either sweet talk Honda or maybe convince VW that F1 is for them. Ferrari, Merc and Renault are burnt bridges
Usual Craig Pollock bollocks. Doubt he ever had the funding to do it so was hoping for manufacturer backing.
Red Bull partly to blame for Melbourne woes - Renault Going to take a lot of fixing if this relationship is to continue. Renault believe Red Bull should take some blame for their woes in Melbourne after pushing the French manufacturer to make last minute changes to its engine. The changes, which according to Cyril Abiteboul bypassed their usual quality checks, were rushed through due to pressure from Red Bull who demanded a "fierce" development programme in order to catch Mercedes and Ferrari. "We had a last-minute engine development in which we bypassed our normal quality and test bench validation processes," he told L'Equipe. "It was these changes that caused the problems in Melbourne, and it is what we are now focusing on [changing] at the factory prior to Sepang. "We were very aggressive because Red Bull wanted us to develop fiercely. Now we have to ask ourselves how we could forget our traditional methods. We have been manufacturing F1 engines for 37 years. We know what we need to do," he explained. Abiteboul insists nothing is lost yet and believes a full recovery can be made later in the season, citing their problems during pre-season testing last year as reason to be hopeful. "If we had said before the 2014 season that we would win three grands prix, you would have laughed at us," he added. "Will we be playing for wins in the short term? No. But we will be back. In order to fight on par with Mercedes, we need some more time." Meanwhile, in response to Red Bull's criticism, he requests the Milton Keynes team leave them to do their job without interfering. "We won together for years, and currently we are having problems together. "So far, we have followed and listened to the directives of Red Bull, but clearly the chassis and the engine are two different universes. Everybody should be able to do their job in peace."
Sounds like Renault are on the verge of buying Torro Rosso and then dumping RedBull. My guess is Red Bull will sell main team to Audi/VW but then again where will Audi/VW get an engine in time for 2016? Maybe Audi/VW already have contract to buy Red Bull but in 2017. Maybe Bernie 'retires' at end of 2016 and that is perfect for Audi/VW? All very interesting.. Personally I doubt Red Bull will be in F1 in 2017.
The problem with Red Bull is who ever wants to buy them is going to need to be loaded. Even in this decline the team must be worth along the lines of 100's of millions?
As the saying goes, they're only worth what someone's prepared to pay and the more they look like a busted flush, the less that will become Still, hundreds of millions may be peanuts to the likes of VW; but with the whole sport in the state it is now, why would they want to?
More excuses from the little (Red)Bullshitter that it's Renaults fault. Apparently it's affecting them more than Torro Rosso............. As thought, they haven't built a good car this year and trying to blame everyone else. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118163
I saw someone raise a good (amusing) point elsewhere. With this talk of power unit equalisation could Horner perhaps be pushed on financial equalisation? Mercedes have the best engine at the moment but by far the worst (yet still existent) 'just for turning up' fee. Red Bull and Ferrari are leading the pack with rewards for simply turning up so if they were willing to split this between all teams, which I'd guess would be around $20m+ a team, then they'd have more in their favour for technical assistance. Not going to happen so Mercedes could happily push this and get lots of good PR
As said above, Ferrari and Merc will never provide engines to RB, so that leaves Honda (which I still find doubtful) or an external source like the VW group or maybe even cosworth?
re: Red Bull v Renault. Firstly, I think Abiteboul's choice of words was unfortunate. Whilst accepting that he is defending Renault against a public criticism and that he disagrees with Newey's opinion of the power unit, accusing him of "lies" is far too strong in the English sense of the word. On the other hand, the slippery mouthpiece who stirs things from Red Bull's corner deserves every bit of flak he's getting, in my opinion. The guys I feel sympathy for are Red Bull's current drivers and all 'innocent' subserviants in both camps. Not Abiteboul. Not Mateschitz who orchestrates and supports Ferrari-style threats of withdrawal, whilst his team are paid a fortune just to turn up. Certainly not Marko who pulls Captain Slimeball's strings. And, in this instance, not even Newey – although I would never accuse a man of such integrity of being a lier!
STR are begging Renault to take them away from Red bull practically. probably fed up of doing the dirty work
Basically this is how I see it play out... #1 Renault are going to pull out of F1 for next year, Red Bull will help them achieve this so they're purposefully left 'engine-less' with 4 cars. #2 FIA/FOM will somehow have a rule in place some where forcing Ferrari, Honda or Mercedes to give their cars an engine for 2016. #3 Red Bull get a better engine by default, most likely Mercedes or Ferrari. Honda too busy focusing on themselves and can't assist RBR. #4 Renault return for 2017-2018 season and now own the Toro Rosso team at a bargain deal + sponsor + getting RBR youth drivers as payment. It's diabolical but you know it will probably happen in the end.
nah I can fully see Red Bull half way through the season announcing they are starting a new project with Audi based on an engine that already exists. The engine deal with Renault will be cut and in payment for losses they will inherit STR. As for the Red Bull young drivers program one of them will be reserve and the other loaned to a lower team.
I don't get the Audi rehashed stories, every year Audi are rumoured to join F1, then they dismiss it and it never happens. How long has the Audi carrot been dangled for, 3-5 years now? They wanted 4 cylinder and Bernie gone, neither has happened so it's even less likely imo. I feel like Garth in Wayne's world: 'Stop torturing yourself man! You'll never afford it! LIVE IN THE NOW!'
Red Bull keep threatening to bring engine development in-house, to some extent, so it's not that much of a leap to imagine them doing it with a partner other than Renault. I'd still think someone like Cosworth would be more likely to go for such an arrangement though.
