F1 News: Renault to end F1 engine supplier role

To that end, speculation at the Frankfurt motor show has suggested that Mercedes could step in to either supply Red Bull with year-old engines or that an arrangement could be reached under the firms’ joint-venture partnership for Mercedes units to be rebranded by Red Bull sponsor and Renault-Nissan brand Infiniti.

The decision to run its own team or leave the sport is said to hinge on whether Renault is awarded extra prize money that is afforded to teams that have historically supported F1.

What Ghosn did admit was that operating exclusively as an engine supplier no longer works for Renault.

Renault chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn says there is still no clear decision on whether his company will remain in Formula One next year as it negotiates its split with Red Bull.

Following months of tension between the French auto manufacturer and the Red Bull team over a lack of performance this season, it had always seemed likely that the companies were heading for a divorce.

“We have already alerted the F1 authorities and told them: ‘Don’t count on us as a provider of an engine – it’s over”, Ghosn was quoted as saying by bbc.co.uk on Tuesday. “I think we are today renegotiating the contracts, so it’s too early to say what’s going to be the conclusion of the contract”.

The pairing won four consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ world titles from 2010-13, but Red Bull have been heavily critical of Renault in public since the start of 2014.

An unhappy Ghosn said: “Unfortunately when we were winning championships the Renault name was never mentioned”.

“So you are in the game that when you perform very well you are never mentioned, and when there is a problem with the team you are the first guy to be pointed [at]”.

Asked whether Red Bull’s criticism was fair, Ghosn replied: “It is not a question of fair; it is a question of sportsmanship”.

“What has been said is a question of sportsmanship. We are expecting, that when we are in a sport working with other people, we win together and we lose together”.