Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Red Bull’s Renault engine frustration fuels Audi F1 rumors

Alexander Kalogianni
By

Red Bull Racing RB11
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Red Bull Racing, in its current form, has been around since 2005 and has spent almost half the time since then winning championships. After four consecutive years of victory, the sport’s regulation change from V8 engines to turbo V6 powerplants last year seemed to have been too big a shake up for Red Bull to maintain the winning balance it had achieved.

After failing to defend its title and performing even worse in the current season, Red Bull is ready to pack up its garage and call it quits unless help from an unlikely source comes into play.

Recommended Videos

Speaking to the BBC, former race car driver and current adviser to Red Bull Helmut Marko stated that the team is frustrated with the lack of reliability from the Renault-provided engines since last year’s regulation change. We’re about halfway through the current season, and driver Daniel Riccciardo has already gone through four engines — the maximum number a driver is allowed to use in one season.

Related

“If we don’t have a competitive engine in the near future, then either Audi is coming or we are out,” said Marko, which is an interesting thing to say for several reasons.

Red Bull Racing RB11
Image used with permission by copyright holder

First off, Red Bull is contractually obliged to participate in Formula 1 until 2020, so taking its ball and going home isn’t that easy of an option. Red Bull’s deal with Renault concludes in 2016, however, so the team is free to court other suppliers, but why say Audi?

At the moment, the Volkswagen group is going through a strange power shift as VW group chairman Ferdinand Piëch resigned after a move to oust Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn backfired. Piëch long opposed any involvement in Formula 1, but with him gone, VW-owned Audi now has an avenue opened to them.

Again, why Audi specifically? Why not another Volkswagen family company like Lamborghini or Bugatti? Well, despite having Audi boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich straight up denying the brand will enter Formula 1 in 2016, it hasn’t done much to quell the still churning rumor mill.

Red Bull Racing RB11
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This is mostly backed by hints that point to Audi’s departure from the World Endurance Championships, a sport the team has dominated for almost 20 years. With Porsche’s return to endurance racing, another Volkswagen-owned brand, Audi may pass the baton to them, seeking out fresher challenges.

Nobody, save for the key players in the sport’s ongoing dramas, knows for sure whats going on, but all it took was one Red Bull adviser’s frustrated outburst to add fuel to already sparked rumors. Until we get any official statements, we’ll see how Red Bull endures the second half of the season and continue connecting the pins on our motorsport conspiracy theory wall charts.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Alexander Kalogianni
Alexander Kalogianni
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…
Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more
Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs
Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs R1S: How will Rivian’s cheaper SUV compare?
The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian has finally unveiled the R2, its long-awaited attempt at a more affordable electric SUV. The new vehicle may not be available just yet, but fans of Rivian's design aesthetics and feature set are already looking forward to being able to order the new car. The R2 is targeted at being a more affordable take on the electric SUV and will sit alongside the flagship-tier R1S.

Let's get this out of the way right now: The R1S is most likely going to be a better vehicle than the R2. Rivian isn't replacing the R1S with the R2 — it's releasing the R2 as a more affordable alternative, and there will be some compromises when buying the R2 over the R1S.

Read more