Managing director Cyril Abiteboul has launched another jibe at Red Bull by suggesting their efforts to keep Carlos Sainz actually led to Renault signing Daniel Ricciardo for 2019.
The French manufacturer had taken the Spanish driver on loan from the Red Bull stable as part of the engine deal involving Honda, McLaren and Toro Rosso for this season and was willing to continue that situation for another year.
However, as the driver most expected to jump into the Milton Keynes outfit when either Ricciardo or Max Verstappen left, Helmut Marko made the possibility much tougher than Renault expected.
“It was easier to reach an agreement with Daniel than with Carlos because clearly, Red Bull was blocking our attempt to sign an extension of our agreement with Sainz," he was quoted by PlanetF1 on Thursday.
“Honestly, if Red Bull had a less tough position on Carlos, the final result would have been different: after the French Grand Prix we pushed to try to confirm Carlos, but Red Bull did not want to take this step.
“They had the right to do that, but that strangely led them to lose Ricciardo.”
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Eventually, Red Bull would also lose Sainz as he opted to replace Fernando Alonso at McLaren with Pierre Gasly stepping up in place of the Australian.
Abiteboul is sure, however, that a relationship will remain between his team and second-generation driver.
"I’m sure Carlos will play a part in McLaren’s rebirth, and he will continue to use our engines," he commented. “I do not think we’ve burned bridges for the future, we still have things to do together.”
