Renault worries about links between manufacturers and satellite teams

It has become one of the workhorses of Renault in the negotiations around future technical and sporting regulations, as well as commercial agreements which must govern the F1 from the 2021 season.

Le Losange is in fact annoyed by the close relationships that the three big cars on the current grid maintain with client teams, because the French manufacturer fears that the top teams will pool their resources with those of their satellite structures to take advantage of a possible capped budget. 

Recall that Toro Rosso buys the complete rear axle of your STR14 (powertrain, transmission, and suspensions) from Red Bull via the Red Bull Technology department, while Ferrari provides quantity of parts to Haas and Alfa.

Even if such practices are tolerated by the regulations, Renault believes that affiliated teams will ultimately become rolling laboratories intended to boost the development of top teams. 

« We could talk about the subject for hours, said Abiteboul at the FIA ​​press conference this Friday in Melbourne. It is already a challenge for a team like ours to compete with teams that have budgets 30 to 40% higher but if they can also combine their resources with other teams or rely on synergies strong in terms of cost control, this is a problem. This is a problem for us and two other teams in the field ».

Last summer, Renault, McLaren, and Williams, had initially refused to authorize the payment of bonuses from the ex-Force India to the new Racing Point team to protest against the supposed plan to make it a “B team” of Mercedes. 

« I also don't want to speak for potential candidates who would like to join F1 and be competitive there, but I think it would also be a concern for them., added Abiteboul. This is a serious subject because we have perhaps reached the stage where we say to ourselves: “Okay, we’ll have three stables and that’s it. ». And anyone who wants to participate will not be able to play to win. 

I am not here to complain, we know the regulations but we are watching with great interest what is coming for 2021. At the moment we are not convinced by the guarantees proposed but we will continue to work with the governing bodies to obtain satisfactory progress ». 

Present alongside Abiteboul at the press conference, Toto wolff (Mercedes), Mattia Binotto (Ferrari) and Christian Horner (Red Bull) naturally had a different view. 

« I think small teams are the main beneficiaries of this model, declared the boss of Milton Keynes in particular. Haas would not be on the grid if this type of partnership did not exist. Formula 1 remains a very expensive sport. If you take Toro Rosso, they use a lot of parts from the RB14, it's a very effective way, respecting the system of listed parts. 

They do not need to devote significant resources to imagining concepts and investing in Research and Development. The cost of racing in F1 is reflected favorably. You have to find the right balance between being a 100% factory team and being able to buy non-listed parts. The system is financially viable for smaller structures ». 

Between having independent teams but in dire straits on a sporting and financial level and having solid B teams but who will never have the opportunity – the right? – to win, we wonder what is most desirable?