“So Honda has an agreement with the FIA and myself that allowed them into F1 on the basis of supplying one team for the first year, etcetera”.
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Red Bull Racing could potentially use Honda engines next season after it emerged the two parties have held discussions about a collaboration ahead of the United States Grand Prix.
McLaren’s racing director Eric Boullier, asked about a veto on Friday, said: “I think it’s better to not comment any more on this discussion because obviously as we said already there is a lot of discussion behind the scenes”.
However, media reports have since raised the possibility of Red Bull joining the Honda roster as a means of pushing development of the engine, even if the Japanese firm has repeatedly stated it has no plans to push resources with another team.
“A decision certainly has to be made by the end of October which would be the Mexican GP next weekend – that was Red Bull’s self-imposed, absolute deadline”. I am not blaming anybody.
“Right now, I’d say we were less likely to take it – but, hopefully, today they’ll tell me something different, that they’ve found a bigger chunk than [everyone else] has found from it, but, realistically, I don’t think there’s a whole lot”.
“I walk up and down this paddock, I talk to people and I become convinced a solution has been sorted for Red Bull then I talk to someone else and I am convinced they are leaving”. “When Honda came in the FIA said to them if we let you into Formula 1 you’ve got to supply three teams”.
The fact Red Bull have been talking to Honda hints at how desperate they are to find an engine after falling out with Renault (Swiss: RNO.SW – news) over their lack of performance in the V6 turbo hybrid era.
“And they somehow got involved and made a commitment to Ron that he had a veto on any engines, and he doesn’t want Red Bull”.
“They can only run Honda if Honda agreed and they won’t agree obviously and have an argument with Ron, because Ron will sue them”.
“Ron has said definitely not as far as he is concerned so I don’t know whether his veto will stand up legally”.
Ecclestone added that British manufacturer Cosworth will be one of two independent engine suppliers to be in Formula One in 2017.
Suddenly, nearly everything is back on the table as the crisis-struck Red Bull plots a course to stay in formula one.
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Ecclestone said he did not know whether Renault would continue. “When I spoke to the president (of Renault), he said they would make an announcement in December”.
