As Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz ponders whether he will remain in F1 beyond the end of this year, the Austrian has launched a scathing attack on his rivals, an attack that will do little to help his hopes of securing an engine deal for his teams... assuming that is what we really wants.

Not for the first time, Mateschitz has used his own Speedweek magazine as his official mouthpiece as he appeared to send out a final warning to the sport.

"We have had to extend our deadline for two or three weeks," he admitted, the original (end of October) deadline running out over the weekend. "But there is not a competitive engine for us anyway."

As rumours persist that the team will complete a volta-face and stick with Renault, the Austrian slammed that particular door well and truly shut.

"We have cancelled the contract," he said. "The reasons have been clear for half a year. Renault are not willing and able to develop a reliable and competitive power unit. Even after two years of development it lacks around eighty horse-power to the Mercedes and its reliability is of pitiful proportions.

"The disappointment with the performance and the posturing of the French are huge," he added, a comment that will hardly endear him to the FIA president. "Instead of improving after the 2014 season, Renault has further fallen behind Mercedes.

"There is no chance of a deal with Honda," he confirmed. "Firstly Ron Dennis has insisted on an exclusive deal and secondly Red Bull would probably come off worse if they switched from Renault."

All of which appears to bring us back where we started, to Mercedes and Ferrari who have both ruled out supplying the Austrian team(s).

"The factory racing teams fear us and know that we are faster than their factory team," insisted Mateschitz.

While the FIA is talking of a cheaper, independent (but how competitive) engine for 2017, having failed to secure a supply from any of the four current suppliers for 2016 Red Bull's options are way beyond limited, and Mateschitz' attitude is hardly likely to help the situation.

That aside, it is understood that Red Bull will finally use the updated Renault unit in Brazil next week, which might yet that volta-face come about.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by ape, 06/11/2015 20:07

"This funny muppet thought that he could buy everything with his money.

"

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2. Posted by mickl, 06/11/2015 17:45

"I for one really really hope they quit. Typical bad losers. From blocking cost caps to campaigning for the current engine formula.....well....reap what you sow."

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3. Posted by You Started It!!, 06/11/2015 17:02

"Good idea for securing a new engine. Piss people off even more!"

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4. Posted by Spindoctor, 06/11/2015 15:29

"Oh Dear, Oh dear. The sense of "entitlement" is overwhelming.

New slogan: "Red Bull makes you whinge...""

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5. Posted by testa rossa, 06/11/2015 12:55

"LMFAO this guy is really a pathetic clown. Bye bye Red Bully"

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6. Posted by gturner38, 05/11/2015 23:04

"They aren't necessarily afraid of being beaten by Red Bull so much as being afraid of there being no upside to a deal with the team. When Red Bull wins, they show no gratitude to their engine supplier. On the contrary, it wouldn't surprise me if they put out press releases taking pride in beating their engine supplier. If they underperform, the have no qualms about throwing the engine supplier under the bus. Even if Mercedes beat Red Bull on a regular basis with both teams running Mercedes PUs and the Red Bulls right behind them, the negative publicity from Red Bull wouldn't be worth it."

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7. Posted by Paolo, 05/11/2015 16:53

"This petulant purveyor of fizzy screenwash should stop whining about a problem of his own making.

The staff at Milton Keynes deserve better than this during the run up to Christmas. Either convey positive thoughts about the future eat a bit of humble pie and carry on with Renault (if they will have you) or get out of the sport. "

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8. Posted by ryanhellyer, 05/11/2015 14:36

"What an idiot. It's as though he's doing his best to try to annoy those he needs to align himself with."

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9. Posted by HappyHippyBiker, 05/11/2015 14:10

"Oh yes, the other teams fear racing a car with no engine :/"

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10. Posted by nonickname, 05/11/2015 13:20

"Or run on hot air."

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11. Posted by scf1fan, 05/11/2015 11:54

"LOL!!! At best the other teams "fear" the creative skills of A.Newey . . . I find Mr. Mateschitz arguments very circular; the French "posture" (yet it was mostly the comments from RB that we all heard); RBR would be "worse off" with Honda (but it's RD's fault that they couldn't make a deal); they were talking to VW, who consistently denied their interest in F1; etc., etc..
.
The simple fact is that it's been the actions of Mr. Marko and Mr. Mateschitz that have left his team without one of it's two longest lead, and probably most crucial components! Luckily for them, I think the other teams are primarily run by truer sportsmen, other wise they'd be laughing their head off at RB. Perhaps RB could find their next engine supplier at one of their Flugtag events. ;-)"

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Mateschitz: Factory racing teams fear us

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