High tension between Renault and Toro Rosso

Renault experienced a contrasting weekend in Mexico: while Max Verstappen once again proved that the French engine could win, four cars equipped with the same engine were forced to retire. The weekend at Interlagos did not start in the best way as Daniel Ricciardo received another ten-place penalty while Brendon Hartley’s engine failed in the opening minutes of the first session. The New Zealander was assured to start from the back of the grid with his teammate, Pierre Gasly, also suffering from repeated mechanical issues.

Interviewed in the Brazilian paddock, Cyril Abiteboul, the general manager of Renault, did not hesitate to blame the installation of the engines in the Faenza single-seaters to explain these repeated breakdowns: “We are a bit concerned about how our engine is used in the Toro Rosso car, which could explain why we have specifically had so many problems with Toro Rosso. There are no coincidences in this sport.”

This remark was not well received by the team, which issued a rare statement to shift the blame onto its engine supplier: « It is a great surprise for the team that Cyril Abiteboul has suggested in the media that the problems Toro Rosso had with its power unit are mainly due to the team and the way the power unit is used in the STR12 chassis. We want to clarify that all the MGU-H and gearbox failures that Toro Rosso has recently experienced are not associated with the way the team operates or the way the power unit is integrated into the chassis. »

But since the best defense is often a good offense, the Faenza team then blamed Renault, claiming it was unable to deliver enough parts on time, forcing them to make countless changes and use old parts. Cyril Abiteboul justified this delay by the logistical constraints of producing such parts: “We did not expect to have these problems, and at some point, you have to manage the parts you have. There were only two weeks since Mexico. We sent the parts back to Viry, worked during a holiday to send as many parts as possible. With the logistical and time constraints we have, there is a limit to what we can do and the number of parts we can bring.”

Toro Rosso also decided to conclude its communiqué by reminding that the two partners are engaged in a very tight race for the gain of the sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Just five points separate the two teams, in favor of the client structure: « It should not be forgotten that they are in a fight with Toro Rosso for a better position in the Constructors’ Championship. As suggested by Mr. Abiteboul, the situation may not be a coincidence but it is certainly not because of the Toro Rosso car. »

The Italian team has thus already been weakened in its fight by having to let go of its number 1 driver, Carlos Sainz, as compensation for the termination of its engine contract for next year. The Spaniard wasted no time celebrating his arrival in his new team by scoring six valuable points in Austin. Undoubtedly, the battle will continue until the final lap in Abu Dhabi.

But while the two parties will no longer be associated next year, this is not the case for Red Bull, which will still have the Renault engine in 2018. In a rare move of appeasement, it was therefore the turn of the Milton Keynes team, through Helmut Marko, to try to calm the situation: “Over the last 10 years, many of which have been successful, we have gone through all the emotions with our current engine supplier. As usual at the end of a long season, there are a lot of emotions, but it’s a quality relationship and it will remain so. We have never felt that we have been treated unfairly or inequitably by our engine supplier. This remains true today.”

The Red Bull consultant may have felt the need to speak out after Cyril Abiteboul showed his annoyance at the start of the third free practice session.

With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr