Illien distances himself from Red Bull engine rescue rumours
Mario Illien says he is not involved in Red Bull's reported plan to field a modified Renault-based engine in 2016 amid ongoing supply uncertainty.
Mario Illien has rejected suggestions that he will play a central role in resolving Red Bull Racing’s engine supply crisis for the 2016 Formula One season. With Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda all declining to supply engines to Red Bull for next year, speculation has grown that the team will instead use a modified version of Renault’s ‘D-spec’ V6 turbo hybrid, potentially with technical input from Illien’s Ilmor Engineering.
Speculation around a Red Bull-Ilmor-Renault hybrid
Reports indicate that Red Bull may run an unbranded Renault V6 in 2016, using its own energy recovery systems and possibly drawing on Ilmor’s combustion development work. The so-called ‘D-spec’ Renault power unit, set to debut in one Red Bull car at the Brazilian Grand Prix, is seen as the technical basis for this plan. Sister team Toro Rosso, by contrast, will not run the new engine and is expected to switch to year-old Ferrari power for 2016, a deal Ferrari did not offer to Red Bull.
The rumour gained traction as the ‘D-spec’ engine, believed to incorporate some of Illien’s combustion ideas, was delayed for several races and only now set for its first outing. Some have attributed the delay to a possible intellectual property dispute between Red Bull and Renault, although both parties have cited unsuitable conditions, such as rain in Austin and altitude in Mexico, for not running the new unit earlier. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Toro Rosso’s decision not to use the ‘D-spec’ is down to the cost and complexity of modifying its cooling package.
Illien denies involvement and IP dispute
Illien, the Swiss engineer behind Ilmor and a key figure in F1 engine development, has denied any knowledge of an intellectual property dispute between Red Bull and Renault. He also says he is not aware of the specifics of Renault’s ‘D-spec’ upgrades, stating that he cannot imagine Renault would secretly use his developments without agreement. Illien had been brought in by Red Bull as a consultant to help Renault improve its power unit, but the collaboration reportedly led to separate development paths for 2015, with Red Bull and Renault each pursuing their own combustion concepts.
While Illien distances himself from the immediate Red Bull situation, he has not ruled out Ilmor’s interest in the FIA’s proposed customer engine for 2017. Ilmor already supplies Chevrolet-badged V6s in IndyCar, making it a credible contender if the FIA proceeds with a parallel engine formula.
Red Bull's engine future remains unresolved
The breakdown in the Red Bull-Renault relationship has left the team in an unusual position: a paying customer with ambitions to develop its own power unit, but reliant on a base Renault design. The situation has highlighted the difficulties top teams face under Formula One’s current hybrid regulations, especially when manufacturer support is withdrawn. For now, Red Bull’s 2016 engine plans remain unconfirmed, and Illien has made clear he is not the architect of any secret solution.
