[Chalky]

From todays round up there is an article that states:
“Dietrich Mateschitz, the man whose enthusiasm for F1 is almost at breaking point with Red Bull currently without an engine for 2016, is understood to have given tentative assurances that his two team’s employees will be put on other projects if they quit the sport.”

So I was wondering. Could Red Bull \ Torro Rosso look to switch to WEC and run LMP1 \ LMP2 teams?
Is engineering a race car that much different from F1 to WEC?
Would the Red Bull brand be better suited to marketing of the 24hr endurance races?

It seems a drastic decision. But if left with no engine for F1 next year, is this a valid option?

[MazdaChris]

Ironically, I think the biggest hurdle, at least in LMP1, would be finding a competitive power unit. All of the top teams are using powerful, in-house designed hybrid power units. A non-hybrid is not likely to be at all competitive.

However, unlike in F1, there’s a bit more freedom to design, so it would be posible for them to buy an off-the-shelfe ICE and then develop their own hybrid system around it. But that is not the work of a moment and there isn’t any capacity at the moment within RBR to develop that kind of technology. It’s not insurmountable, but it would be a major obstacle. Not one that I think would be possible to overcome in time for next year.

Engines aside, though, I feel like participation in WEC would be mutually beneficial. While WEC isn’t anywhere near as high-profile as F1, it allows far greater freedom for development and promotion. Red Bull would be able to have a far more visible presence at WEC events, and there would be almost unlimited scope for promotion outside of the races as well. A Red Bull LMP-1 car would surely be a beautiful thing to behold, and would be a technological tour-de-force that would get even the most casual race fan interested. And unlike with F1, they’d be able to get that car featured in all manner of computer games.

I say mutually beneficial because I think there would be a genuinely positive effect on WEC itself as well. Two very well supported teams is a positive no matter what, but the publicity would surely help push WEC into a whole new level of visibility. Something I’m sure DM would be keen to take advantage of – it doesn’t take a genius to imagine the inaugural 6 hours of the Red Bull Ring…

But, sadly, I think it’s very unlikely to happen. I say sadly, but personally I don’t want to see Red Bull disappear from F1 at all. RBR is a top team, as good as any currently competing, and I think they help brush off a little bit of the old man vibe F1 can carry about it at times. But if they do leave F1, and by some chance they did decide to participate in WEC, I personally would be peeing my pants with excitement!

[JackySteeg]

It would make sense in a way. It would certainly be a better option for the potentially redundant staff, who presumably would rather work for a racing team than on one of Red Bull’s daft novelty projects.

Having said that, though, if Red Bull are wanting to appeal to a young, hip consumer base, I don’t think endurance racing is the way to go because, let’s face it, it doesn’t have a particularly young (or large) fanbase. They’d be spending a similar amount to what they’re spending right now, and they’d get barely a fraction of the exposure, and we all know return on investment is all Red Bull is interested in.

[PorscheF1]

…and we all know return on investment is all Red Bull is interested in.

Just like the other teams you mean…

I would love for them to enter the WEC but I’d rather have them stay in F1. Besides they are fairly present already in WEC, many drivers wear their logo on their helmets for example. They could stop STR and use that budget to build a PU for 2017. Or buy a share in Nissan their LMP1 project.

Anyway I’m really looking forward to the end of this all as I’m just curious as what they will do.

[Chalky]

Looking at the LMP2 rules, it would not be possible to build their own chassis as those manufacturers have already been selected for 2017.
http://www.fia.com/news/2017-lmp2-regulations-four-chassis-constructors-selected
They could still go this way for Torro Rosso and use it as a junior team.

Then they could still go LMP1 too with their own chassis, but this would at best be a year later. An Infiniti branded engine from Nissan maybe a possibility for it too.
I wonder if Adrian Newey has thought about it.
So a quick google search came up with this article from February this year:
http://uk.motorsport.com/lemans/news/red-bull-adrian-newey-is-le-mans-on-their-radar/

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