Possible Volkswagen-Red Bull F1 Engine Deal 'Up In Smoke'
Red Bull’s F1 team is the latest victim of Volkswagen’s emissions scandal, as a possible deal between the team and the automaker has gone “up in smoke.”
Those were the words team principal Christian Horner told NBC Sports Network Friday during qualifying and practice for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, only a week after former team owner Eddie Jordan claimed a deal for Volkswagen to supply engines to Red Bull for the 2016 season was all but complete.
While negotiations with Ferrari are ongoing, as well, the current situation to alleviate the team’s woes with the engines supplied by Renault is less than ideal, according to Horner:
Of course it’s not an ideal situation. I’m working hard to try and find a solution, and hopefully there will be a solution in the coming weeks but it’s quite simple. If we don’t get an engine, we can’t push the car.
Horner reiterated the threat of pulling out of F1 entirely if an engine agreement could not be secured, adding other programs Red Bull managed in the past, such as NASCAR and the Red Bull Air Race, were cancelled when found to no longer “fulfill a purpose” within the company. He added the move to replace Renault or quit altogether comes from a need to be competitive with teams powered by Ferrari and Mercedes throughout the season, instead of only at “bespoke circuits such as Singapore.”
Photo credit: katsch1969/ Flickr/ CC BY-SA 2.0
Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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I saw this coming as soon as I saw the report that VW might supply RedBull in 2018. VW couldn't have an engine ready for 2016 and rule changes are coming, so there was no point in trying to participate before 2018. Since I read the Eddie Jordan created rumor after hearing about dieselghazi, I knew nothing would come of it.
This has just graduated into a full-on Humiliation Conga, hasn't it?
Sorry. I can't shed a tear for Red Bull. When Red Bull was on top, it was because of its innate ability. When the team isn't, it bad-mouths everybody else in sight. They've run off drivers and now, its engine supplier. Helmut Marko is the mouth that barks at everything in sight, thinking he's somehow a great motivator -- he ought to be a sales manager. For toilet paper. I think it should also be remembered that Toro Rosso once had an engine contract with Ferrari, before the team unceremoniously tossed Maranello for an all-Renault contract. It's the height of Red Bull's well-demonstrated arrogance to think it can dictate terms to Ferrari. Ludicrous, in fact. Mercedes is smart to dismiss any association with the organization. And in spite of the bleatings of Red Bull's whiny management, Ferrari has every right to dictate any relationship with the team on Maranello's terms.
Volkswagen has redefined the walk of shame. It is now an endless parade of shame with countless participants traversing an infinite loop.