Angry Mateschitz

Predictably Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz used the Austrian Grand Prix weekend to spout off about his anger in how things are going in F1.

What better time and place to make your point when you are the hosts and owners of the Red Bull Ring in Austria?

The problem is all season long Red Bull have been threatening to quit Formula One and the threat is becoming tiresome.

With the energy drinks company owning both Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, along with a huge driver development programme that filters through feeder series GP2 and GP3, it would be a major blow for elite motor sport.

But there is no sympathy for the team from many in the sport.

After four years of domination, taking consecutive constructor titles and winning the Formula One World Championship with Sebastian Vettel the team have been left behind.

In 2014, despite three Grand Prix victories, the team struggled and with 2015 being a season of evolution not revolution, Red Bull have remained on the back foot.

Formula One teams go through these cycles, it happened to Ferrari, up until Ferrari’s constructors title in 1999, their last triumph had come in 1983.

During those 16 years Ferrari won just 31 Grand Prix, over the following 5 years Ferrari won 63 Grand Prix as Ferrari and Michael Schumacher dominated Formula One.

It also happened to Williams, between 1991 and 1997 Williams claimed five constructors titles, finishing runners-up during the other two seasons. They won 59 Grand Prix over their 6 year spell, but ever since from 1998 to present day they have won 11 times, with just one victory over the past decade.

It would now appear to be the time for McLaren to go through a period of rebuilding, as well as Red Bull Racing.

It’s just how Formula One works.

But this has left Mateschitz frustrated.

Red Bull Racing has the ability to build a car to compete, but they feel they are lumbered with an engine partner that has fallen behind.

Renault are currently adrift of Mercedes and Ferrari.

Not only is it slower, with Daniel Ricciardo lapped on his home Grand Prix on the opening race of the season, it also proves unreliable with both Ricciardo and Kvyat taking engine penalties in Austria for already bypassing the fourth engine regulation rule.

The in-fighting between Red Bull bosses and Renault have seen both sides publicly confirm that neither side are adverse to walking away from Formula One altogether.

It has got to the point now when its a monthly update and Mateschitz added to it this past weekend.

‘What else has to happen that we will lose our motivation completely?’

‘They take from us not only time and money, but also the will and motivation,’

‘There is no driver and no chassis which is able to compensate for this lack of horsepower.’

‘You can’t force someone to stay when he wants to leave.’

The final point appears to be in contrast to the contracts Red Bull currently have in place. Red Bull have a contract with Renault until the end of the 2016 season and are contracted to Formula One until 2020, but do they hold potential buy-out clauses which could see changes before then?