Max Verstappen believes Red Bull’s engine supplier Renault has run out of parts for their 2017 engines such has been the unreliability at the end of the season.
His claim comes as both he and teammate Daniel Ricciardo, who suffered two engine-related retirements in Austin and Mexico, were forced to race with reduced power last weekend in Brazil to ensure their power units can make it to the end of the year.
It also follows a dispute on Saturday between the French manufacturer and junior team Toro Rosso, which Team Principal Franz Tost suggested his team’s recent engine problems could be competition-related in response claims by Renault Sport Managing Director that the issues may be associated with how it is installed in their car.
That led to Renault threatening to withhold engines from the Italian team until the end of the season and required Red Bull Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko’s interference to diffuse the situation.
While Verstappen’s comments are unrelated to that incident, it does highlight a frustration between customer and supplier which has been the case throughout the year.
“On the one hand, I can understand that [Renault is running low on engines],” the 20-year-old is quoted by Holland’s De Telegraaf. “But on the other, if you have so many problems with reliability during the season, then as a supplier you have to do what you can to have enough parts on the shelf. That just seems logical. It’s frustrating but we also have to accept it.”
The impact of the measures put in place at Interlagos was Red Bull, who have had a resurgence late in the year with the Dutchman winning twice in Malaysia and Mexico was once again floundering as the third-best team behind Mercedes and Ferrari.
“After four very good races it’s a bit of a pity, but you also have to be realistic,” Verstappen added. “The car itself was good.”
Offering another view, Mercedes Non-Executive Chairman Niki Lauda claims the recent engine problems for his team’s rivals backs the decision the German manufacturer took to ensure optimum reliability.
“As we had a car with erratic performance, we could not afford any engine problems,” he told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“So [Motorsport boss] Toto [Wolff] and I asked [Mercedes engine boss] Andy Cowell what was more important – to find a tenth or to remain reliable? After all, you cannot win a championship without reliability.
“Ferrari and Renault privileged their search for performance and lost Grands Prix.”
