Red Bull’s threats continue as Volkswagen links emerge

Following the recent divorce of Red Bull and Renault that saw the team claiming four drivers and constructors championship, the future of Red Bull looks uncertain.

After Mercedes decision of not to supply them for next season, they only have Ferrari as an option to continue next year.

Speaking on this, Mateschitz said, “That would be, for the next two or three years, a very acceptable solution”

“If Ferrari as a work teams, and with [Sebastian] Vettel, cannot deliver [the championship] then it will not be possible for us as a customer.

“But we can get to the first three rows of the grid, and from there on to the podium.”

He further added that the early talks with Ferrari were positive but no deal was struck.

Going in line with Mateschitz regular threats to quit, coupled with no engine supplier for 2016, he took his threats to another level this time, that either his team be supplied with the Ferrari engines or he is taking both his teams out of the sport.

He further added, “Should we leave Formula 1, our employees (800 in MK and 300 in Faenza) would by no means be unemployed. We should find for them other tasks.”

Apart from a possible Ferrari deal, BBC F1 chief analyst, Eddie Jordan says that the German giant Volkswagen is close to buying out the Red Bull team, making the German group to build their own engine, while Red Bull continues as a major sponsor and still gets its job of advertising done.

Further sources point out to a VW engine will make an entry from 2018 only, meanwhile Ferrari engines would be used.

The owner of Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Bentley has for long stayed away from the sport, and their entry makes full sense after they’ve tasted enough success elsewhere.

BBC Sport has acquired that Winterkorn agreed a deal to buy out Red Bull last winter but the plan was vetoed by former VW Group chairman Ferdinand Piech.

Piech although resigned in April and in May, Marko said, “If we don’t have a competitive engine in the near future, then either Audi is coming or we are out.”