Renault has Big Plans for Red Bull

In light of Red Bull’s newfound partnership with Honda for 2019, Renault hope that they will make Red Bull regret its decision. The French manufacturer plans to deliver major performance gains with its own engine.

The Milton Keynes-based team confirmed on Tuesday morning that it was ending its long association with Renault.

In response, Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul said that they are now determined to show enough progress with future engines. The objective is to let Red Bull think that it may have made the wrong move.

“We will do everything we can to make them regret this decision,” Abiteboul said.

“What I mean by that is simply doing the best we can on track with our own team under our own colours.

“I am really extremely excited by the performance improvement to come, in particular with Spec C which we will introduce later this season.

“At this point in time there is no reason to think that Red Bull will not be receiving it, although we are yet to confirm details of engine allocation plan, but I hope that we will make them regret.”

The Frenchman was not really surprised when the Austrian marquee elected to go the Honda route. They had indicated last year that they did not want its supply deal to go on beyond 2018.

“Not surprised whatsoever, frankly,” he said.

“I think first we tend to forget this is a confirmation – it is more a status quo actually.

“Last year in Singapore we announced a comprehensive set of agreements with both the Red Bull group and McLaren.

“This was featuring a termination of Toro Rosso at the end of 2017 and termination of Red Bull at the end of 2018, even though Red Bull had requested to be a bit more vague about that topic.

“It is more that it went in a different direction when Red Bull requested to us an offer, as there was a bit of indecision about which way to go.

“For us it is more a confirmation of what was in the air, and which is also a strategic and commercial decision more than purely a technical or sporting decision from Red Bull.”