Former world champion Red Bull said in a statement on
Sunday that the team
and Nissan's Infiniti premium car brand will end their F1
partnership "at the end of this year," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. Infiniti, part of the Renault-Nissan alliance, "have been with Red Bull since 2011 and title sponsors since 2013." The
relationship "had looked to be on borrowed time after the team fell out
with Renault as a result of the poor performance of the V6 turbo hybrid
power unit provided by the French manufacturer." Media reports suggested the Infiniti deal was worth some €40M ($43.53M) a year to Red Bull, "and possibly more" (REUTERS, 12/6). FOX SPORTS' Adam Cooper reported Red Bull Racing confirmed the split, "despite the two parties having a contract that extended into 2016." It "was always unlikely that the Renault-owned brand would continue with RBR given the takeover of Lotus F1, and the fact that under the revised engine supply deal Renault's name is no longer attached to the Red Bull program." Infiniti branding "is expected to appear on the Lotus next year" (FOX SPORTS, 12/7).
