Renault vs. Ecclestone: Can We Do a Deal??

Oh La La, here we go again.

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Just when it seemed like the Renault cooperation would make their decision this final weekend at the season ending Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi and join as a works team for the 2016 season, there is now another twist that is keeping them from entering the sport in this manner.

It is called Bernie Ecclestone.

For the last couple of months, many individuals around the formula one world was waiting for the moment for the French company to take over Lotus and begin their quest to re-enter the sport for the first time since 2010. But with the renewal of Venezuela’s Pastor Maldonado for another year with Lotus, plus another shocker, signing Joylon Palmer to his first F1 contract has given many fans and writers the illusion that something is not going right with these negotiations. So what is wrong??

It seems like for the last two months Renault has already moved in to the Lotus factory in Enstone, England, and have already set up shop since they announced their intentions of taking over with a letter of intent.

However, according to BBC Sport, Renault already has finalized their Lotus takeover deal with Lotus and have in addition agreed to supply Red Bull Racing with engines for next year in a one year deal. But the problem has rested on extra cash money for the team which has been distributed in the past to former world championship teams such as Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams, and McLaren. Renault feels that they should be compensated for this since they won two titles in a row as a manufacture in 2005 and 2006.

But Ecclestone agreed for this deal to happen, which then collapsed, and Renault now is beginning to quit the sport once again. This could put Lotus under administration if a deal is not reached by December 7^th.

Another rumor flying around is that Eccelstone is very confused about the idea that Renault is supplying Red Bull engines for next season and also having a works team. This is something that Eccelstone should realize is not very different since Ferrari and Mercedes both have works teams, plus suppling engines to other teams on the f1 grid.

Christian Horner, Team Manager of Red Bull, announced this weekend at Abu Dhabi, that their squad have found an engine supplier for 2016 and although it is confirmed that they will have an engine, they are not saying who it is, despite that many feel that is could be a Renault engine.

Current Renault Sport F1 manager Cyril Abiteboul commented like he has done for the last few months, realizing that there will be no decision made this weekend in Abu Dhabi, but the final call could come certainly in one week’s time.

“We will report the result to our CEO but I am pretty sure we will have a positive result.” Abiteboul stated to the BBC. Our company needs to take a final, definitive view on its situation in F1, and although it is Renault’s intent to take over Lotus, we have no obligation to do so.

Next: F1 Engine Talks To Be Continued

Renault should be in formula one next year in some capacity, but it will be a transition year. But pulling out of formula one is still on the table if we cannot convince the board that F1 is a meaningful investment for Renault.

We are taking about a 10 year investment, which is not cheap.”

It will be interesting which path is taken in this confusing situation.

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