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RENAULT: IT’S HARD TO HAVE A PARTNER [RED BULL] WHO LIES

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#1 ·
Renault: It?s hard to have a partner [Red Bull] who lies | GRAND PRIX 247

24 March, 2015
Renault’s relationship with works team Red Bull continues to crumble, as Cyril Abiteboul, chief of the French carmaker’s F1 engine programme, accused Red Bull technical boss Adrian Newey of lying.

He admits that Renault is struggling at the start of 2015, insisting: “I am not looking for excuses”.

But he said it is wrong of Newey to say the only problem with his 2015 package is the ‘power unit’ supplied by Renault.

“In addition to our problems,” Abiteboul told France’s Auto Hebdo magazine, “Red Bull has some chassis problems that do not help the situation.

“In particular, the lack of rear stability. These two problems combine to ensure the car is difficult to drive.”

When asked if it is therefore difficult to hear Newey say the only problem with the RB11 is the engine, Abiteboul admitted: “Yes. It’s hard to have a partner who lies.

“Adrian is a charming gentleman and an outstanding engineer,” he added, “but he has spent his life criticising his engine manufacturers. And he’s too old to change.”

In Australia Red Bull were up in arms with their engine partner, with Christian Horner saying, “I have no idea how they [Renault] have managed to f*ck it up so badly.”

Now, car designer Newey echoed the sentiment, “It’s frustrating that we’ve got an engine which is a long way behind with no obvious light at the end of the tunnel and all sorts of failings.”

Reports on GrandPrix247.com by: staff & contributors, Reuters syndication, GMM service, Formula 1 teams, sponsors & organisations.
 
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#3 ·
CLASH OF CLANS AS RENAULT AND RED BULL GO TO WAR

Clash of clans as Renault and Red Bull go to war | GRAND PRIX 247
25 March, 2015

Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul posted a picture of a pair of boxing gloves on Twitter as he packed for Sunday’s ’round two’ of the Formula One season in Malaysia and he may need them.

The French manufacturer and former world champions Red Bull have been increasingly uneasy partners since the introduction last year of the V6 turbo hybrid power units.

Mercedes, dominant last year, romped to another one-two in the Australian opener on March 15 and Red Bull’s patience is running low.

The tensions had been ratcheted up already before Melbourne when Red Bull designer Adrian Newey suggested there was “no obvious light at the end of the tunnel and all sorts of failings” with the engine.

“It’s one thing where you’re not competitive but you can see your way out of it,” he told the Daily Mail, before a race that saw Red Bull’s Russian Daniil Kvyat fail to start when his gearbox failed on the way to the grid.

“It’s another when you’re not competitive and your partner doesn’t seem to be willing to deal with you.”

His team principal Christian Horner said in Australia that the engine was “undriveable” and accused Renault of making “a retrograde step”.

“They’re obviously in a bit of a mess at the moment,” he added.

Abiteboul hit back this week, telling France’s Auto Hebdo magazine that Newey was charming and brilliant but had spent a lifetime criticising engine partners and was too old to change his ways.

In a Renault preview of Sunday’s race at Sepang, Abiteboul recognised Renault had fallen short but called for teamwork.

“We need to work together to understand our issues, both within the Power Unit and the chassis,” said the Frenchman, who will appear with Horner in what should be a lively Friday news conference.

“Our figures have shown that the lap time deficit between Red Bull and Mercedes in Melbourne was equally split between driveability issues, engine performance and chassis performance.

“It’s therefore the overall package that needs some help and we have been working with the team to move forward.”

Remi Taffin, Renault’s director of operations, said Malaysia should be more of a benchmark and offered a chance to “press the restart button”.

“Our design development group has been working non-stop to create counter-measures to improve driveability and reliability and correct the issues we saw in Melbourne,” he added.
 

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