Helmut Marko: “An option to stop”

Red Bull will experience a profound change in 2016. After seeing his favorite driver Sebastian Vettel join the Team Ferrari this year, the energy drink brand will see its engine manufacturer Renault leave his role, after four consecutive titles won between 2010 and 2013.

In search of a new V6 turbo / hybrid Power Unit, Red Bull first came up against a refusal from Mercedes, and only has Ferrari as a last resort. “Nothing has been concluded yet, but we have had discussions with Sergio Marchionne (FIAT boss) in Monza. » explains Helmut Marko in a question and answer on the F1 website.

Red Bull, however, does not hide the fact that without an agreement meeting its expectations, a completely different outcome would remain. « There is an option to stop the F1. There is a scenario. If we do not have an engine that allows us to evolve at the forefront, we will prefer to stop. It's known, but not everyone estimates the impact it would have. »

I can only see for next year: if we don't have a competitive engine, there is no future in F1 for Red Bull Racing. The curtain could fall after Abu Dhabi. This is the opinion of Dietrich Mateschitz (big boss of Red Bull). He knows that it costs the same to race at the front, or like right now, in the premium peloton, and he doesn't want to do that for another season. »

Marko also returned to the Audi-Volkswagen rumor which has been circulating for several days. “Yes the rumor is there, and of course it would be good if another engine manufacturer arrived. But currently, these are just speculations."

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