Former Formula 1 driver Jan Lammers is almost certain that Red Bull will not follow up on its threat of quitting the sport.
Following Honda’s surprise announcement of quitting the sport at the end of the 2021 season, Red Bull was left in a precarious situation. The team no longer has an engine supplier for 2022.
Red Bull didn’t call it quits at that point. Instead, the team signalled that it would aim to take over Honda’s operation rather than find another supplier. However, their condition was that the engine freeze would need to be agreed to.
Helmut Marko had claimed that with no Plan B in place, if the governing body did not accept this, the team could quit the sport.
“No, it does not exist,” Helmut told Auto Motor Und Sport.
“The engine freeze is the most important thing. The so-called safety net of alignment will certainly become more difficult. But if the development freeze is there, the whole project becomes easier for us to handle.
“[If not], that would mean Red Bull had to rethink its Formula 1 situation drastically. Due to reason and cost, an engine freeze is the only way with these unfortunate engines.”
Rumours have started doing the rounds that the freeze will not be approved and this could see Red Bull call it quits.
‘Red Bull will find a way to compete’
Lammers though, doesn’t think such an eventuality will take place. He believes that quitting is against the DNA of the team and it will find a way to compete.
“That is not in Red Bull’s DNA. They are solvers and tacklers,” he said.
“I think the situation presents an opportunity for other engine manufacturers, so I think there is still a solution somehow available. I see a lot of possibilities.
“If Red Bull just took over the running costs of the engine factory with a certain core of the staff, that would be very valuable for Honda, because they keep in touch with the latest developments, while it would be cost-effective for them.
“For Red Bull that could also be cheaper than leasing an engine. And they might be able to provide a second team with engines,” he said.
Sergio Perez joining the team and a development freeze, expectations are high from Red Bull.