Renault on new partnerships: "I have doubt that it could be with Red Bull"
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- GPblog.com
Renault has lost McLaren as a customer team and that means that next year they will only supply their own factory team with engines. The French manufacturer is open to new collaborations in Formula 1, but this should be a serious added value. Cyril Abiteboul talks about a partner team instead of a customer team.
"A customer brings you nothing. A partner maybe can bring you some value, the value being in particular that it can help you in reaching a sporting objective or business objective," explains Renault's team boss to Motorsport.com. "We know that the [financial] transaction is regulated anyway, so it's mainly from a sporting and technical perspective that we would look at the opportunity."
However, there are not many options for Renault, because at the moment no race stable seems to be preparing for an engine supplier switch. It is possible that Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri will be forced to do so if Honda decides not to follow up on the Formula 1 project. The Japanese have a contract until 2021, but there is still uncertainty about the period thereafter.
Abiteboul doesn't expect a new partnership
Abiteboul continues: "If there is a strong partnership opportunity we will do it. I have doubt that it could be with Red Bull." So a possible reunion with Red Bull in the near future does not seem to be in it. "Red Bull is a works team with Honda. I think the first thing is for Honda to decide for their own commitment, for their own strategy in the sport. We've been there with Red Bull. It didn't work."