Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz wants to see the team return to its “former glory” in Formula One according to Christian Horner.
Giving the strongest indication yet that the team will not pull the plug on its Formula One programme at the end of 2015 due to frustrations with its engine supplier Renault, Horner said Mateschitz had decided these was “too much at stake” to end the their 11-year participation in F1.
“It’s no secret that during the summer Dietrich Mateschitz became fairly disillusioned with Formula One, with the direction that things were heading, that certain conversations he’s personally had and undertakings he had that didn’t come to fruition,” said Horner during today’s FIA press conference.
“He is probably the most committed supporter of Formula One over the last ten years, if you look at two grand prix teams, a grand prix on the calendar, the amount of promotion that Red Bull worldwide puts into Formula One, the young driver programmes investing in youth and young talent… more than probably 1,500 employees across the different teams and markets.”
“So for Red Bull it’s major part of their promotional budget spend that is committed to Formula One and I think that during the summer months he was seriously concerned with the direction the sport was heading and what the return of Formula One could ultimately provide.”
“I think that having sat down and thought about it he’s decided that there is too much at stake. Red Bull have invested so much into the sport, he wants to see the team get back to its former glory.”
Unless it wins Sunday’s race, Red Bull will complete its first win-less season since 2008 this year. Horner cautioned against expecting a swift return to form next season and said the team is eager to see a change in F1’s engine regulations for 2017.
“We’ve got some challenges ahead to achieve that. I think the current constitution of performance obviously in a power unit-dominated formula is a difficult situation if you’re not aligned to a competitive power unit at this point in time.”
“So 2016 will be a transitionary year for us as hopefully [new] regulations come to bear. The changes that Jean Todt and the promoter is pushing for, to achieve a more affordable, more available power unit, can only be a more positive thing for any independent team. Not just Red Bull, but all the independent teams that are currently on the grid.”
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BasCB (@bascb)
27th November 2015, 18:05
Sorry, but I see no glory with Red Bull (although their “fun” years before getting really successfull would be something I would like to see back) to return to.
Just a bunch of bullying rich kids who did everything to win and keep their advantages and at the same time not able to see or admit to their own shortcomings.
I do believe that with the 2017 aero rules there is a good chance for them to dominate again, but really that will be rather off-putting to me instead of something I would like to see happening. Instead let the teams just converge and come gradually closer in the next two years as the weaker engines improve and the advantage of the leading power units gets smaller and smaller.
MazdaChris (@mazdachris)
27th November 2015, 18:32
So, a successful F1 team then…
BasCB (@bascb)
28th November 2015, 11:45
well sure, but its not what I would call glory. That springs rather from overcoming tough times to make it, for example if McLaren start winning and even dominating for a year or two after their struggle and deep fall in the last seasons, or a Ferrari resurgence like they had from 1996 onwards.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
27th November 2015, 21:06
Price is often dictated by supply and demand. The current engine format is unique to F1, so there isn’t really anywhere else to go except the current 4 manufacturers, which automatically means the price is very high, and the need to do research to catch up (or stay ahead) just pushes that price even higher.
If F1 relaxed the “engine spec” so it gave customer teams more supply options, then the prices would be lower. So how do you create a “level playing field” if some teams turn up with V8 engines while others use V6-hybrids? As someone else recently suggested, why not use the things “outside the engine”, such as requiring adherence to the fuel limits as the main requirements (maximum fuel consumed in a race = 100kg, maximum consumption is equivalent of 100kg/hr), and leave the actual engine spec up to the team? For example, the Toyota TS030’s hybrid engine is powered by a 530 hp 3.4 litre V8, and has a 300 hp electric motor system, which looks like a team using it would get onto the starting grid.
Whether a customer team uses a manufacturer that supports a team like Mercedes or Renault, or a manufacturer like Toyota, they will still have to pay for research.
@HoHum (@hohum)
27th November 2015, 21:51
@drycrust, FIA thinking goes along the lines of ” If we allow someone to find a simpler, cheaper way to be competitive then all the teams would change to the cheaper solution, and that change would be expensive, therefore cheaper solutions are banned, it’s a cost saving rule.”
BasCB (@bascb)
28th November 2015, 11:47
You would then also have to define how much power can be stored into the battery before the race. Otherwise one cold in theory put a few MW of engergy in there to up power for the race!
RaceProUK (@)
28th November 2015, 15:17
Not quite; the V6s also meet the WEC regulations, or are close enough that converting them wouldn’t take that much work.
matt90
28th November 2015, 1:11
Such a person probably wouldn’t consider leaving in the first season for years where they’re ‘only’ scoring podiums.