Prost: Renault happy to lose Red Bull in 2019

Prost: Renault happy to lose Red Bull in 2019

Friday 16 November 2018 11:12

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Alain Prost says Renault are "not unhappy" to lose Red Bull as a power unit customer in 2018 after the relations between the pair have grown increasingly fractious. Red Bull will jump ship to Honda in 2019, having laid the blame squarely at the feet of Renault for their drop out of title contention.

Red Bull have been supplanted as Formula 1's dominant team by Mercedes since the introduction of V6 Hybrid power units, with the Silver Arrows seeping every title since 2014.

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Sebastian Vettel had taken the four titles before that with Red Bull also successful in the constructors' championship each year.

However, Vettel left the team at the end of 2014 after a season of struggle and Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen have since struggled to stick in the fight for honours with Red Bull.

Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and the drivers have aimed regular barbs at Renault, with jabs often coming back the other way.

And Renault advisor Prost is looking forward to a more peaceful time in 2019, with Renault having signed Ricciardo as they look to break into the battle at the top of the grid.

"We were ultimately not unhappy to see them go, you have to be honest," Prost told L'Equipe.

"I keep very good relationships with them, even if I criticize their way of communicating. It's still a little too far, and they know it."

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