Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner says Renault’s increased involvement in its own Formula 1 project prompted the squad’s approach to look elsewhere.
Red Bull will switch to Honda power for 2019, ending a relationship with Renault that has stretched back to 2007, resulting in over 50 wins and eight titles.
The partnership became more fractious amid failings in the hybrid era and Renault opted to re-acquire the then-Lotus squad at the end of 2015 to return to works status.
Red Bull remained with Renault power, albeit with the engines badged under the TAG Heuer guise, and Horner admitted the manufacturer’s potential conflict of interest was a concern.
“We’ve gone through four different groups of management during our time with Renault,” said Horner.
“It started with the well-known Flavio Briatore, when we first took the engine. We ended with, as part of the deal, having a box at Queens Park Rangers and sponsoring the Billionaire Club for a season, so it’s been an unconventional route but a successful one.
“Conflicts of interest didn’t exist in those days. It’s demonstrated that you can win with a customer power unit, I think.
“Our view on the future is that the situation is slightly different now with Cyril [Abiteboul] having his own team.
“Obviously the engines are a bit more complex these days so integration is very much focused around his team.
“Whereas we are all selfish in this business, we all want it to be focused on what’s right for your own team and so therefore this relationship with Honda allows us to have that marriage that is focused and unique to Red Bull, rather than having to share.”
Horner remained adamant that Red Bull will continue to receive the same level of support through the end of the year, in spite of the impending split.
“Renault, ever since we have been supplied a power unit by them… they’ve had a works team, they left the sport, they came back in.
“What they have been very good at with us is giving us parity and equality in terms of the state-of-the-art equipment they have and we have no reason to believe that won’t continue until the end of the year.
“We’re outsiders in both championships, in both the Drivers’ and the Constructors’ Championships.
“We believe that we’ve still got opportunities to close the gap to the cars ahead and we are going to need Renault’s support to achieve and do that between now and the end of the year, which I’m confident that we’ll have.”
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