Renault back as a full works team?

djinvicta · 21 Feb 2015, 17:09 (Ref:3507397)

Well. Who would of thought it. Their engine was criticised by Red Bull last year, could this be a saviour for Lotus, or Force India?http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns30009.html

Razor · 21 Feb 2015, 17:35 (Ref:3507404)

Toro Rosso would be a safe bet. (Isn't the head honcho of Red Bull been looking for a buyer for a long time?) The rest are Merc based cars and wouldn't like to have the French powerplant back in their car. (Especially Lotus and their troubles when they were the last Renault factory team. Remember Crashgate?)

djinvicta · 21 Feb 2015, 18:05 (Ref:3507416)

Would Red Bull sell Toro Rosso?

Hawkwood · 21 Feb 2015, 18:21 (Ref:3507420)

Toro Rosso have been for sale for a few years now, so no reason to think Mateschitz wouldn't sell.
If Red Bull wanted a junior or two in F1 it'd be cheaper to pay someone to run them than to run an entire extra F1 operation for the same purpose?

GT6 · 21 Feb 2015, 18:38 (Ref:3507424)

It all seems a little bit wishful thinking with no real facts to back it up, but then again it would be a nice step if it is true

mikuni · 21 Feb 2015, 22:28 (Ref:3507493)

It would have been cool for them to sweep in and pick up Caterham at the end of last year. Would have been a dream scenario for a back marker to be picked up as a works team and turned around over the space of a few years. I don't think any manufacturer would take such a big risk though.

wdave0 · 22 Feb 2015, 13:33 (Ref:3507645)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikuni

It would have been cool for them to sweep in and pick up Caterham at the end of last year. Would have been a dream scenario for a back marker to be picked up as a works team and turned around over the space of a few years. I don't think any manufacturer would take such a big risk though.

Caterham is on the block - cheap, and they were already Renault powered. Plus there are a lot of unemployed bodies floating around at the moment.

Razor · 26 Feb 2015, 00:54 (Ref:3509073)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdave0

Caterham is on the block - cheap, and they were already Renault powered. Plus there are a lot of unemployed bodies floating around at the moment.

But a lot of hard work and money to be poured in to make them the slightest bit competitive. Renault may be scared off with the former team.

mikuni · 26 Feb 2015, 01:37 (Ref:3509090)

With Renault cash though, it wouldn't take long to get a decent team built up. For the budget that Caterham were reported to have, compared to the big players, they probably didn't do to badly.

**GTRMagic** · 15 Mar 2015, 08:36 (Ref:3515364)

You might imagine Renault isnt taking too kindly at the effluent being kicked out of them by their superstar racing teams...

.. wonder if they are serious about taking a stake in an existing team...

That Sauber lot looks very inviting... with the right budget.. they could be superstars. Wonder if a Renault team could run a Ferrari engine?

**GTRMagic** · 15 Mar 2015, 08:46 (Ref:3515371)

Renault Look To Buy Toro Rosso

JacobP · 15 Mar 2015, 10:10 (Ref:3515402)

One problem with Toro Rosso is that this team hasn't been very racy for some time. The team existed to test Red Bull's junior drivers rather than fight for wins, and the results show it. If Renault bought the Toro Rosso, they would basically have to rebuild the whole thing and invest a sum of money that would have been sufficient to rescue Ukraine or at least Greece from a default.

Likewise, other mid-field teams do not appear to be in a very good shape. (basically most are broke with lots of debt). Does Renault really wish to provide the funds that are required to make this work?

Mike Harte · 15 Mar 2015, 10:31 (Ref:3515411)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Renault Look To Buy Toro Rosso

A quote taken from that article on the GrandPrix dot com webite allegedly from Dr Helmut Marko:

Quote:

But Marko denied rumours Red Bull might also be looking to sell its premier team, Red Bull Racing, to the Volkswagen Group.

"There have been no talks," he insisted.

He does not hide, however, that Red Bull is dissatisfied not only with its current relationship with engine supplier Renault, but with formula one in general.

"Formula one is in urgent need of renewal," said Marko. "The sport must be the coolest, strongest and fastest it can be.

"If the relation between the cost and what we get out of it is wrong for Red Bull, we would not go on forever."

I translate that to mean that if a Red Bull team are not dominating their chosen sport, then Red Bull loses all interest in that sport. As a casual observer of various sports, it would seem to me that Red Bull is prepared to throw whatever money is required at a project until they are consistently winning. Maybe that is the reason that they don't appear to sponsor much in the way of non-mechanised sport; it would be far more difficult to buy your way to the top if it is only human endeavour that would achieve the results, and not engineers.

Another Bob · 15 Mar 2015, 11:12 (Ref:3515422)

This thread is nuts.

Renault can't ever get their "power unit" right.

Read my post on Aust FI thread.

Now, if they can't even get their power unit as the, "one to have", why would they invest in a team? I'm possibly wrong, as they are French after all.

Remember this is where they have to engineer and develop their own chassis, amongst everything else.

Remember Honda a couple of years ago???

This at a time when they, Renault, are partnered with possibly the best "current" chassis builder there is? And they, Renault, can't engineer and supply the best power unit on the grid??????

Aghhh??? Please!!!

Now I'm not saying Red Bull are not looking at getting out...... who apart from Mercedes wouldn't be looking at getting out of this circus?

They would, Redbull, find a better investment in WEC, and I'm sure they don't need me to tell them that.

That applies to Renault as well.

Taxi645 · 15 Mar 2015, 14:11 (Ref:3515465)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Another Bob

Now I'm not saying Red Bull are not looking at getting out...... who apart from Mercedes wouldn't be looking at getting out of this circus?

Agree with your post. About your quote, the presence of Schwarzenegger on the podium was symbolic. Well our field and races suck, but let's call Arny and all will be good!

GT6 · 15 Mar 2015, 14:40 (Ref:3515474)

Well to be honest the engine was the weak point in those cars with that engine so perhaps those teams need to look for new suppliers and renault call it a day

Paradise City · 15 Mar 2015, 14:48 (Ref:3515475)

Renault is a big wig manufacturer and can match Merc if the organisation makes a collective decision to go for it.

STR is a sturdy enough outfit that has enough of a solid foundation in which Renault can start building a team that it can call its own. The only problem is that Verstappen and Sainz are both proving quite valuable; Mateschitz won't want to lose them in the near term and selling that team means he'll have nowhere to put them.

And maybe DM will do something really left field and sell the main squad and move his Red Bull flag over to STR exclusively and build that team up properly. Just a far out thought.

**GTRMagic** · 16 Mar 2015, 12:21 (Ref:3515785)

Imagine a scenario where Renault takes STR in lieu of breaking the RBR engine contract. Winners everywhere...

**chunterer** · 16 Mar 2015, 12:49 (Ref:3515799)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Imagine a scenario where Renault takes STR in lieu of breaking the RBR engine contract. Winners everywhere...

I suspect you are along the right lines...

I don't agree with Jacob P about STR's set up either. For the last 2 years they have been quietly but determinedly building up infrastructure and staffing, obviously with an eye to the future as their own entity.

But maybe, just maybe, it will be the 'A team' that becomes Renault and STR becomes the new 'A Team'...

wolfhound · 16 Mar 2015, 12:51 (Ref:3515803)

More on a possible Renault move back as works team in Autosport.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118091

STR seems to be the favorite but there distinct advantages for some of the others.
Sauber have one of the best windtunnels in the business but have a lot of debt.
Force India and Lotus are both based in motorsport valley but also have debt.
Faenza and Hinwil are not exactly in the centre of motorsort valley which could be a disadvantage in recruitment although Italy is probably better than Switzerland.
STR also use a UK base tunnel to the best of my knowledge so that creates logistical problems.
Then again Renault might decide to do nothing.

**GTRMagic** · 16 Mar 2015, 13:18 (Ref:3515815)

At least Renault build their engines in France..

old man · 16 Mar 2015, 17:48 (Ref:3515914)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

At least Renault build their engines in France..

Haven't they just brought Ilmore on board or is it just Mario Illien? Could that mean a move for engine building?

Nikki Katz · 16 Mar 2015, 18:58 (Ref:3515935)

I really don't understand Renault's motivation. It only seems like 5 minutes ago that they were contemplating an F1 exit altogether. Now after stating repeatedly that the engine would be much better this year, it's really no closer to Mercedes at all. They get told they're rubbish every week in the media by the teams they supply. They also spent ages trying to offload their last team. The sport's in something of a crisis with some big name teams threatening to quit now that they're not winning and the smaller teams on the brink of folding due to debt. Honda's return to F1 hasn't exactly given them positive coverage so far. So why now? It makes no sense.

GT6 · 16 Mar 2015, 19:26 (Ref:3515944)

Well so far all we have are rumours nothing official so perhaps they have no plans at all

wnut · 16 Mar 2015, 22:23 (Ref:3516035)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

At least Renault build their engines in France..

Some may disagree that that is what Renault is actually doing at the moment! c.f. Mssrs Horner and Marko!

On a serious note, I fail to see how Renault adding the complexity of the rest of the car to their current engine failure would help their cause?

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