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Red Bull has engine options for 2016

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Christian Horner says Renault is still six months behind rival Mercedes and that Red Bull already has options for 2016 if it continues to fall short of expectations.

Horner branded Renault's performance in Austria "unacceptable" after a disappointing debut at the Red Bull Ring, as the gap between the French manufacturer and Mercedes was brutally exposed in the Austrian mountains. Rumours in the paddock suggested Red Bull could build its own engine in 2016 but Horner says the team knows it will have a wealth of other options if it decides not to renew its deal with Renault after next season.

"The thing about a team like Red Bull is we always have options, and I'm not going to disclose what they are here," Horner said. "We want to run at the front, we want to be competitive, and in order to be competitive we have to have a sensible power unit.

"Of course we have had some discussion with Renault and they fully accept the situation that we are in is not where we should be. Obviously they are doing everything they can and applying the resources they have to try and improve that situation. Renault is very aware of what our position is and all we can do is help and support them going forward.

"Fuel is going to be a key area of development, Total are working hard on that and have things in the pipeline which looks encouraging. We are behind where the Mercedes teams are because of all the running they've done on track and with the dyno and so on, Renault is only just starting to catch up so we're probably where Mercedes were six months ago."

Horner thinks one of the biggest problems Red Bull has faced this season is that Renault has tried to please all four of its customer teams rather than giving one preference over the others.

"I think that can be an element of it because you're never going to be able to satisfy everybody. If you look at the engine Ferrari have made, it's for a Ferrari car and the customers have to adjust their cars accordingly, Mercedes likewise.

"Renault has tried to keep all its customers happy, which is an admirable thing to do, and have tried to treat them all equally, but it's not the way to be competitive. We need to make sure we can engineer ourselves out of the situation we are currently in and at the moment that means supporting Renault to get more out of the power unit."

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