Even amid the denials, the story suggesting Red Bull is considering designing its own formula one engine will not go away. All year – ever since it became clear the reigning world champions would struggle to win the first title of the all-new turbo V6 era – Red Bull has been pointing a steady finger of blame at its ‘power unit’ supplier, Renault. In the past weeks and days, the speculation has reached fever pitch.
The rumours were pushed along in Austria last weekend by Dr Helmut Marko, who appeared to confirm reports Red Bull is thinking about making its own bespoke engine. “The world champions desperately need what it otherwise promises: energy,” German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung, referring to the fact Red Bull is an energy drink company, said after the team’s poor performance at its home grand prix last weekend.
I hope they do buy it and design their own power-plant. That would take another ‘scape-goat’ out of RBR’s picture.