Renault: We are more competitive than Honda

Earlier this week Red Bull confirmed that they would be ending their 12-year partnership with Renault, with Honda being selected as their engine supplier from 2019 onwards, but Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul insists his outfit are "more competitive" than their Japanese counterparts.

According to advisor Helmut Marko and team principal Christian Horner, Red Bull were given an ultimatum by Renault to make the decision as quickly as possible so preparations can begin for 2019.

Red Bull ultimately chose to jump ship, but Abiteboul insists his team is still more competitive than Honda.

“Clearly the direction of things for Honda is positive, much more reliable, and it seems also that they have done a step,” Abiteboul told Sky Sports.

“I still believe that we are more competitive and the success of Red Bull on track and, touch wood, there will be more of that.

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“In the rest of the season and we will be doing what we can to make sure that we continue to deliver in accordance with what they expect. I think this is showing what the engine is capable of doing.

“For the rest, they have made their bed so they need to lie in it now.”

Abiteboul went on to reveal that the plan was always for Red Bull and their junior team, Toro Rosso, to break the partnership with Renault, but the termination of the contract came earlier than planned.

“What I can say is it’s also a plan that is happening the way it was supposed to be," the Renault man continued.

“What was agreed last year with Helmut [Marko] and Christian was that we would terminate with Toro Rosso at the end of ’17 and Red Bull at the end of ’18.

“So it’s more the confirmation of a plan that was engineered a while ago when there was no data about the Honda engine and no data about the Renault engine today.

“I still believe we have the upper hand as we’re talking today, the rest is very much speculation about what we will be doing this year and next year and what Honda will be doing.”