Thomas Hinss
Aussie Commentator and Writer
Technical Chief of Red Bull Racing, Adrian Newey, expects the likes of McLaren and Toro Rosso to be more competitive next year, citing that they could well have a fight on their hands keeping the Woking and Faenza outfits behind them.
Throughout the 2015 season the team tried to land Mercedes, Ferrari or Honda engines for next season but were unable to as each engine supplier was not interested in working with the formerly dominant team. As these talks went on the Red Bull and Renault relationship soured as the French marque struggled to deliver a competitive power unit to take the fight to Mercedes and Ferrari. After a further fall in pace compared to its rivals in 2015, Newey says the team are bracing for a tough 2016 season as they rely on Renault to make progress with its power unit.
The strength of the team chassis’ has always been the cars main advantage, with there being some optimism that it could have more pace for next season. Newey is certainly aware that expecting big leaps forward from Renault as they develop their power unit for 2016 is too much. The strong possibility that Renault may struggle to keep up with the competition is what makes Newey fearful of the progress rivals such as Honda could make in 2016.
Speaking to Motorsport.com, Newey notes that,
"I think it is going to be an extremely difficult season for us frankly. If we start the engine with the same power as we have had throughout 2014 and 2015, which I think may well be the case, then we are going to be even further behind.
According to our own research we found some reasonable gains on the chassis side, but the works teams will of course all move forward. Mercedes and Ferrari will move forwards."
According to our own research we found some reasonable gains on the chassis side, but the works teams will of course all move forward. Mercedes and Ferrari will move forwards."
Who to look out for in 2016?
As we now look toward the new season in the coming months with Mercedes and Ferrari expected to continue their form at the top of the field, Newey has singled out Toro Rosso and McLaren as teams that could perform better than the struggling Red Bull.
"Toro Rosso, our sister team by having a 2015 Ferrari, will be considerably ahead of this year's Renault power unit. I believe Honda, what we have seen, will make a good step. I think their internal combustion engine is a reasonable engine. Their problem this year has been that they made the recovery units on the turbo, the MGU-H, far too small. But that is an easy problem to address over the winter.
So, next year's going to be very difficult for us. It's really down to, I think, what happens next with the sport, for 2017 and beyond. Is there desire from the governing body to allow private teams such as ourselves to properly have competitive engines or not?"
Do you think that Red Bull will be challenged by their sister team and McLaren-Honda in 2016?So, next year's going to be very difficult for us. It's really down to, I think, what happens next with the sport, for 2017 and beyond. Is there desire from the governing body to allow private teams such as ourselves to properly have competitive engines or not?"
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