I Keep Very Good Relationships with Red Bull: Prost

Alain Prost says Renault are “not unhappy” to lose Red Bull as a power unit customer in 2018 after the relations between the pair have grown increasingly fractious. Red Bull will jump ship to Honda in 2019, having laid the blame squarely at the feet of Renault for their drop out of title contention.

Red Bull have been supplanted as Formula 1’s dominant team by Mercedes since the introduction of V6 Hybrid power units, with the Silver Arrows seeping every title since 2014.

Sebastian Vettel had taken the four titles before that with Red Bull also successful in the constructors’ championship each year.

However, Vettel left the team at the end of 2014 after a season of struggle and Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen have since struggled to stick in the fight for honours with Red Bull.

Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and the drivers have aimed regular barbs at Renault, with jabs often coming back the other way.

And Renault advisor Prost is looking forward to a more peaceful time in 2019, with Renault having signed Ricciardo as they look to break into the battle at the top of the grid.

“We were ultimately not unhappy to see them go, you have to be honest,” Prost told L’Equipe.

“I keep very good relationships with them, even if I criticise their way of communicating. It’s still a little too far, and they know it.”

Despite four years of success where they won the driver’s and constructor’s titles, things were

strained. A blame game started between the two when they struggled, so things were ugly. Now, their torturous relationship is nearly over with just Abu Dhabi left.

If Prost’s words are to be taken into consideration, Renault are finally glad to see the back of Red Bull. However, their parting gift from the Austrian outfit is Daniel Ricciardo.