In all honesty we've been expecting it.

With Renault clearly not able to assist Red Bull mount a challenge to Mercedes and Ferrari - and even though he admits that the team hasn't delivered the chassis is should of done - Helmut Marko is already warning that the Austrian team might leave the sport.

Granted, such a move is a couple of years away, in 2021, but clearly the Austrian and his team wants to begin the sabre rattling early.

In 2015 the sport was thrown into turmoil when Red Bull threatened to withdraw both its teams as it found itself unable to get the engines it wanted.

Renault had taken a major step backwards, while neither Mercedes nor Ferrari was willing to supply a current-spec unit, certainly not to a team that posed such a threat to its works outfits.

As a result, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone were forced to get involved as the sport looked for a new, independent supplier willing to provide a competitive engine at a nice price.

After all the kerfuffle, not only did Red Bull stick with Renault - which powered the team to two wins and leapfrog Ferrari in the standings - team owner Dietrich Mateschitz subsequently denied the threats to quit F1 were serious.

However, while Red Bull looks ahead to the latest Renault upgrade, scheduled for the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Marko is looking ahead to 2021, the year after the current engine formula runs out.

Still seeking a competitive, exciting, noisy and cheap engine, the Austrian issues a familiar warning.

Reminded that customer teams will always depend on their suppliers, when asked by the official F1 website if one days he hopes to see the situation change, Marko replies: "Of course... and not 'one day'.

"The latest must be 2021 that an independent engine supplier comes into F1," he continues. "This is more than necessary... and the engine has to be simple, noisy and on the cost side below ten million.

"We are talking about a much less sophisticated engine to what we have now, a simple racing engine.

"There are enough companies around that could supply. So we expect from the new owners together with the FIA to find a solution at the latest by the end of this season.

"If that doesn't happen our stay in F1 is not secured."

Potential suppliers, who should also accept that for their "below ten million" they will get none of the credit for any success but all the blame for the failures, should form an orderly queue.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Barslug, 21/04/2017 16:00

"The ONLY thing I like about Redbull are their drivers. Both have the talent to be quickly signed by other teams so I'm not worried about them. The rest of those whiny little brats can take a long walk off of a short pier. I'm tired of the temper tantrums. Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya Redbull. "

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2. Posted by Peter Rickitt, 21/04/2017 12:50

"Please do not wait until 2021, go now - and take all your tawdry behaviour and brash hypocrisy with you."

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3. Posted by mickl, 21/04/2017 11:02

"I'll call Marko on it and say if he has the exclusive on the current Merc PU he wouldn't care a toss that it was complicated or expensive.

His only gripe is that he thinks RB has a divine right to win mainly due to their 'extensive' and 'historic' involvement in F1 over the 'many' decades and it's sooooooooooo unfair that the race organisers don't just hand over the 1st place trophy at every race just as a matter of course. I mean they actually make them compete for it, how undignified and insulting is that to RB...my ****."

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4. Posted by Motorsport-fan, 21/04/2017 9:14

"Read " less sophisticated engine" also meaning less complicated, that is the main issue, less complicated = less money."

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5. Posted by Spindoctor, 21/04/2017 8:02

"The man is an undignified bore.
If he wants a simple & (relatively cheap) engine formula move to Indy Cars.
Formula 1 is meant to be about teams developing & building the best cars they can. Obviously in a Capitalist World those with the deepest pockets often have the best cars\engines. The essential simplicity of Formula 1 has been horribly compromised over the years; mainly by B. Ecclestone's constant fiddling. It's now far too complex.
Nobody gets to win as of right, or just because they spend a few hundred million pounds: ask Ferrari & McLaren, both of whom have suffered various setbacks and soldiered on. If you can't stand the heat........."

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6. Posted by DJ, 21/04/2017 4:12

"Who does this fool think he is fooling? Goodbye and don't let the door hit you in the **** on your way out!"

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7. Posted by NS Biker, 21/04/2017 3:47

"Certainly like the concept "... and the engine has to be simple, noisy and on the cost side below ten million."
Comments in this forum refer to "any new manufacturer" getting involved with F1.
Based on the experience that Honda is going through ... would you authorize the move if you were CEO of ..... fill in the blank, Automotive. Not much chance. And not between now and 2021.
This means that there will be no new engine suppliers any time soon .... and how long before Honda toss in the towel.
I hope they don't, but that would sure give Liberty fits."

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8. Posted by Pavlo, 20/04/2017 17:14

"One thing where he is right - independent teams need independent engine supplier. Obvious. But with this behavior they are killing themselves any possibility to partner with a new manufacturer. So unprofessional.
Look at McLaren - they also want an independent supplier, so they partnered with Honda. Problems are more than obvious, but they suffer with dignity. Just imagine what would Marko say about Honda - this is the answer why no new manufacturer will ever consider selling the engine to RB."

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9. Posted by F One, 20/04/2017 17:12

"One again Good Riddance Red Bull! Renault have their own team now so hopefully they'll tell you to get stuffed and no one will supply you."

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10. Posted by nonickname, 20/04/2017 14:33

" Bow Wow.We have heard these idiots before."

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11. Posted by Ro, 20/04/2017 14:18

"A message to Liberty Media. Get rid of these god-awful engines. Bring in normally aspirated v10 engines. Problem fixed, Renault, Honda, Ford, Ferrari, Toyota, Mercedes will all come in. "

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12. Posted by mickl, 20/04/2017 13:14

"Well, more money to go round for the rest of the teams then. Bring back Manor!"

Marko reiterates 'quit' threat

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