Red Bull and Renault
Christian Horner, principal of Red Bull Racing, has been quoted as authenticating speculation that the energy drink-owned squad might be eyeing Renault's leading V8 as a replacement in 2007 for the current Ferrari deal.
Referring to Renault chief Flavio Briatore's recent announcement that the French outfit is looking for a customer, Horner told 'Kronen Zeitung' newspaper: ''Why not Red Bull?''
Adding fuel to the suggestion that the Ferrari contract could be pushed to Berger's junior Toro Rosso squad, Horner commented that it is a 'quite possible' scenario for 2007.
He said a final decision would come in July and denied that it is too late for Adrian Newey to incorporate a new engine architecture into the design of his 'RB3'.
''Our technical boss would like to work with the very best engine he can get,'' Horner insisted.
06/23/06 (GMM) An engine deal for 2007 between Red Bull and Renault is '80 per cent' done, according to Toro Rosso co-owner Gerhard Berger.
The Austrian has been in talks with his old Benetton boss Flavio Briatore in recent weeks and is now quoted as indicating that one of the energy drink's F1 squads will be Renault powered next year.
''The Renault engine is the most reliable on the grid,'' Berger told Spanish newspaper 'AS', ''and Red Bull have had problems in that area this year.''
The most likely outcome, therefore, is that Red Bull would take the Renault engine, leaving Toro Rosso to inherit the senior team's Ferrari deal.
Gerhard Berger explained: ''The agreement with Renault is 80 per cent done.''
Red Bull's agreement with Renault will likely include the driving services of Heikki Kovalainen for STR.
''We are always interested in talented pilots,'' Berger continued, ''and Kovalainen is clearly that.''
06/21/06 (GMM) Speculation that Red Bull's 2007 car could be fitted with a Renault engine is gaining power.
'Auto Motor Und Sport' magazine in Germany reports that Toro Rosso co-owner and 'Red Bull advisor' Gerhard Berger has staged talks about the matter with his old Benetton chief Flavio Briatore.
Preceding the story was reigning champion Renault's admission that it would like to sell a customer version of its current 'RS26' V8 power plant next year, with a price tag rumored to be around $12m.
Berger is presumably getting involved because a change of engine supplier for Red Bull would likely mean that Toro Rosso would inherits the 2007 Ferrari deal.
The loser of the switch, however, would be Cosworth, which had hoped to upgrade its V10 arrangement with STR to the supply of the English company's 2007 V8.
'Auto Motor Und Sport' claims that Berger has met with Briatore 'several times', and that Red Bull is keen to make the switch not only because of the cheaper price, but due to concern that its Ferrari engine is 500rpm down on the works team.
06/16/06 (GMM) A potential customer has emerged for Renault's V8 engine in 2007 — Red Bull.
It is rumored that the French squad's F1 boss, Flavio Briatore, has already had talks with his counterparts at Red Bull Racing about selling the year-old 'RS26' – the 2.4 liter unit which presently resides the works Renault racer – at a cost of about $11m per year.
Austrian-owned Red Bull has a contract for Ferrari engines next year, but it is believed that the supply could simply be transferred to sister team Toro Rosso. Complicating the matter, however, is that 'STR' is also bound contractually to Cosworth for the '07 season.
And, given that Adrian Newey is already hard at work on the 'RB3', Red Bull's switch could have to wait until 2008.
It should also be mentioned that MF1 is a possible contender for the Renault power plants, as is Super Aguri, whose alliance with Honda is on shaky ground.