Design guru Adrian Newey has criticised rival teams for “forcing” Red Bull out of the sport by refusing to supply the team with engines in 2016 and beyond because they “fear” the team.
The Milton Keynes based team has yet to source a replacement power unit supplier after terminating its relationship with Renault a year early.
Both Ferrari and Mercedes have refused to supply the team, whilst Honda remains committed to supplying only McLaren in 2016, though admitted they would look at supplying a second team in 2017 – too late for Red Bull.
It’s been reported that Red Bull have approached Renault once again in the hope they can mend some broken bridges, but Newey doesn’t believe that to be an option.
“We’re possibly going to be forced out of Formula 1 – Mercedes and Ferrari have refused to supply us out of fear,” Newey told Reuters.
“Unfortunately, our relationship with Renault is pretty terminal. There’s been too much of a marriage breakdown, so we have no engine,” he said.
“Red Bull should not be put in a position where they’re only there to make up the numbers.”
The Briton also criticised the FIA for failing to react to the performance disparity between engine manufacturers, essentially creating a series where engines are more important than other factors such as aerodynamics.
“Within the regulations, the engines can be balanced somewhat so that there’s less of a performance disparity then there is at the moment, but the FIA has been unwilling to do this,” he explianed.
“We need to get back to the position where all teams have access to an engine which is there or thereabouts — if it’s a couple of per cent behind then OK, but when it’s 10 per cent behind it’s too big a gap.
“As an engineer, I’d liked to see more flexibility in the chassis regulations so that teams can find benefit through ingenuity and creativity.”
