25/03/2015
NEWS STORY
The already fragile relationship between Red Bull and engine partner Renault is under further pressure following Abiteboul comments.
In the official pre-Malaysia press release, Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul is measured in his comments regarding the problems encountered in Melbourne by Red Bull.
"Australia certainly wasn't an easy weekend and we fell short of our own expectations, and those of our clients," he admitted.
"We need to work together to understand our issues, both within the Power Unit and the chassis," he continued. "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."
However, speaking to France's Auto Hebdo, Abiteboul was a little more... frank.
Asked about Adrian Newey's post-Melbourne claim that the problem lay entirely with Renault and that there is no light at the end of the tunnel, Abiteboul said: "It's difficult to have a partner who lies. Adrian is a charming man and an engineer without parallel, but he's spent his life criticising engine partners. He's too old to change his ways."
Whilst much of the media attention this weekend will be on returnee Fernando Alonso, the apparent deterioration in the relationship between Red Bull and Renault will also be in the spotlight.
Indeed, at a time Renault is said to be considering buying a team (again), and following the comments made by Christian Horner and Helmut Marko in the wake of the season opener, in the long run this is likely to be a much bigger story.
It is clear that Renault has problems, as does Red Bull, however, to indulge in such public mud-slinging is not only unprofessional it is distracting both parties from getting on with the real job in hand.