Renault "has accused Red Bull of lying as relations between the engine supplier and the Formula One team reached a new level of acrimony five days before the Malaysian Grand Prix," according to Paul Weaver of the London GUARDIAN.
The partnership "delivered four double world championships between 2010 and 2013," but it is difficult to see it continuing in the long term.
Last year, when the V6 hybrid engines were introduced, Renault "was off the pace." After a poor start to this season in Australia, Red Bull’s designer Adrian Newey said there was "no light at the end of the tunnel." Newey’s comment "has brought an angry response from Renault’s Cyril Abiteboul," who told the French magazine Auto Hebdo, "It is hard to have a partner who lies. Adrian is a charming gentleman and an outstanding engineer but he has spent his life criticizing engine manufacturers. And he’s too old to change" (GUARDIAN, 3/25). In London, Kevin Eason reported the most successful F1 team of recent years "has been torn apart by bitter conflict between senior executives." Abiteboul said that Renault has "made progress but the damage is done and a separation appears inevitable." Renault is "openly considering buying" its own team, with Sauber, Force India and Toro Rosso, Red Bull’s junior squad, among the targets. Whatever happens, it seems the rift with Red Bull "is wide enough for the two sides to go their own way."
The problem for Red Bull "is who would supply them after the departure of Renault?" Neither Mercedes nor Ferrari "will be keen to help a squad that’s swept up all of the prizes for four years and paid scant attention to the complaints of rivals when they were winning consistently" (LONDON TIMES, 3/25). Also in London, Daniel Johnson reported the Frenchman said that "it was unfair for Red Bull to claim the source of their competitiveness was solely down to the engine." He said, "In addition to our problems, Red Bull has some chassis problems, which don't help the situation. In particular, the lack of rear stability. These two problems combine to ensure the car is difficult to drive." Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner and Abiteboul "are both in the FIA press conference on Friday in what should be a spicy encounter" (TELEGRAPH, 3/25). In London, Jonathan Mcevoy wrote Newey accused Renault "of failing to engage with them to find a solution." Horner claimed after the opening race in Melbourne, when his cars were "considerably off the pace all weekend," that the Renault engine "was 100bhp short of Mercedes." He also "ruled out a victory this season" (DAILY MAIL, 3/25).
