(Frederic Le Floc'h DPPI for Renault Sport F1)
Renault Sport F1 Managing Director Cyril Abiteboul has
confirmed that the French manufacturer may consider pulling out of Formula One
if they feel that their participation in the sport if it proves to detrimental
to the company’s reputation.
Abiteboul confirmed that the manufacturer need to get the
engine under control. He said that if the sport is not providing value in terms
of the development costs of the power unit than they will pull out of Formula
One completely.
Abiteboul was speaking at Friday’s FIA Press Conference in
Malaysia where he was sitting between Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team Principal
Christian Horner who he has had a row with after accusing Red Bull Chief
Technical Officer Adrian Newey of lying and Scuderia Toro Rosso team boss Franz
Tost.
Horner echoed Abiteboul’s threat that if the French
manufacturer were to pull out Formula One than the Milton Keynes based outfit
may do the same.
Horner clarified comments made by Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut
Marko who said recently that Red Bull could potentially pull out of Formula
One. However Horner revealed that the media misinterpreted Marko’s comments and
what he actually said was that Red Bull could be forced out of the sport if
Renault left.
Marko had previously stated that like with every year Red
Bull would be reviewing the position in Formula One over the Summer. However
Horner has confirmed that the energy drinks company want to remain in Formula
One.
Red Bull have had an extremely successful partnership with
Renault having won four consecutive world championships from 2010 – 2013.
© Ben Johnston 2015
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