Renault boss Carlos Ghosn has admitted that his company is likely to divorce Red Bull... no doubt due to its unreasonable behaviour.

"We are analysing what to do," he told Autocar, though the Austrian team, and sister outfit Toro Rosso, has a contract with the French manufacturer for 2016.

"We have been clear in saying 'don't count on us as a provider of engines'," he added. "It is clear that if you provide engines you aren't mentioned when you win and you are criticised when you have problems."

"Our future is the subject of detailed analysis and renegotiating. We will either exit or run our own team. We don't have a clear decision yet," he admitted, once again making clear that a return to the sport as a manufacturer, or even stake-holder in Lotus, is by no means cut and dry.

Asked if he feels the numerous public attacks from Red Bull have been fair, he said: "It is not a question of fair, it is a question of sportsmanship. A team should win and lose together. What has been said is a question of sportsmanship. Again I say, you should win and lose together."

With Mercedes effectively ruling out a supply, Red Bull's only other choice - assuming Honda is out of the question at present - is Ferrari, the Italian manufacturer admitting that it would supply its rivals.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by F One, 16/09/2015 19:42

"Red Bull where whining about Renault even when they where winning. The repeatedly asserted that they where winning despite their Renault engines.
I really hope they end up with no engines and leave F1 in disgrace."

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2. Posted by scf1fan, 16/09/2015 15:20

"@Spindoctor - Having done both a bit "Rocket Science" and some automotive design, I would submit that Rocket Science is more than just a little harder. (If you blow a gasket in your turbo pump, while it's trying to move up to 25,000 GALLONS of fuel or oxidizer (@ -220C!) per MINUTE, you just don't coast to the side of the road with a plume of smoke and the commentators saying "Ka-blam-oh!" :-)

I agree with most of the rest of your comments; though I'll quibble a bit in that it probably makes a little more sense for an automotive company to sponsor an automotive event. But in the end you are correct in that it's mostly advertisement, and it must seem to have some acceptable level of payback."

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3. Posted by Spindoctor, 16/09/2015 12:09

"Renault's PU's aren't anywhere near as good as Mercedes, nor this year's Ferrari. As Honda is illustrating these things are actually a bit harder than Rocket Science to get right, and Renault hasn't got there yet.

Like Mr Ghosn I find RBR's attitude a bit galling. If I were Renault I'd quit completely.
The notional downside of quitting is vastly less than the actual reputational damage being inflicted fortnightly by RBR's constant very loud and very public whingeing.

Ecclestone has F1 in the grip of a Reality Distortion Field (RDF). Under its 'fluence otherwise rational people seem to think its a good idea to spend tens\hundreds of millions every year on a failing sport over which they have virtually no influence, let alone control. Compared to sponsoring (say) Manchester United (or the whole Premier League) with the positive global brand-recognition that would generate, Formula 1 looks like a poor investment.

"

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4. Posted by scf1fan, 16/09/2015 11:24

"@TheBucketOfTruth - But a year old Ferrari PU will be what RBR gets; or a year old MB from the way it looks. And RBR has stated that they don't want to be a customer team so they are running out of options. I won't dispute the basis of your statement, but resources are primarily a function of money, and money is the one thing D.Mateschitz has! Talent is a whole other issue and I'd suggest that Cosworth is the best non automaker option out there. If E.Musk can make spacecraft pretty much from scratch, D.Mateschitz can certainly infuse some cash into Cosworth. It's a risk, but the publicity would probably pay for itself; and that would still be better than the reasons that RBR is currently in the news for. It's also not going to be in either MBs or Ferrari's interest to give RBR a topline PU. (I think Niki and Toto realize that a MB PU in a Newey inspired chassis would be formidable!) One might also suggest that F1 isn't Honda's main focus, it damn well would be for a RB funded Cosworth. "

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5. Posted by TheBucketOfTruth, 16/09/2015 7:54

"At this point Cosworth would be lucky to match the year old Ferrari engines in the back of the Manors. Look at the issues Honda are having, and they're miles ahead of Cosworth in their resources."

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6. Posted by scf1fan, 15/09/2015 18:55

"Chafe darn it!! Where is that dang edit button! :-)"

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7. Posted by scf1fan, 15/09/2015 18:52

"Even though I generally dislike the RB operation (is there a sport or event that RB doesn't try to tart up?) I have previously expressed that I feel that Mr. Mateschitz is really losing an opportunity to show how involved he wants to be in F1. RBR/STR could be THE partners of Cosworth to develop a new PU for their own use. Then they wouldn't just be a customer team which RBR in particular seems to chaff at.

(Of course if they need someone to manage such an effort, I'd be happy to send in my CV. ;-)"

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8. Posted by ape, 15/09/2015 16:29

"At least Mac and Honda lose together ....for now."

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Renault "renegotiating" Red Bull contract

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