Is F1 losing its fizz? Red Bull boss warns hes losing interest introversive

His Red Bull Racing team won four back-to-back world titles between 2010 and 2013 but is now toiling in midfield because the cars' Renault engine lacks grunt.

In an interview published on the eve of his home grand prix, the Austrian billionaire said that the team's faltering partnership with the French supplier may have all but quenched his thirst for funding a team in the top tier of world motorsport.

'Besides taking our time and money they [Renault] have destroyed our enjoyment and motivation,' Mateschitz told Red Bull's in-house motorsport publication Speed Week.



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'No driver and no chassis in this world can compensate for this horsepower deficit. How many more things have to happen before we lose all enjoyment?'

The performance of his cars at the Austrian Grand Prix -- a race he helped revived in 2014 -- could well be another tipping point for Mateschitz.

Daniel Ricciardo faces a 10-place grid drop for Sunday's race after the team confirmed he will use a fifth engine this weekend.

The engine regulations, set out by F1's governing body the FIA, restrict each driver to four new units per season but Renault reliability problems mean Ricciardo has already blasted through four.

'We were prepared to take the penalty here,' said the Australian. 'We've had a tough season so far but everyone is determined to keep pushing.'

The performance of the Red Bulls was not exactly scintillating during Friday practice with Dany Kvyat setting the 12th fastest time and Ricciardo 17th.

Red Bull is contracted to use Renault engines for the 2016 season despite rumors it could turn to rivals Ferrari who, along with champions Mercedes, manufacture its own power units.

'There's no alternative to Renault for 2016,' explained Mateschitz, who bought the Jaguar team in 2004 as the start of what he called a '10-year' motorsport plan. 'I can't say what's going to happen in two or three years.'

Red Bull, like the other nine teams on the grid, are contracted to continue racing in F1 until the end of the commercial Concorde Agreement in 2020.

But Mateschitz, who rarely speaks publicly about his involvement in F1, shrugged off any binding deals, adding: 'Sure, there are contracts for Formula One participation.

'How many teams have dropped out of F1 despite already having contracts? You cannot hold someone if he wants to get out.'

Vettel quickest in practice

Sebastian Vettel made his exit from Red Bull to Ferrari at the end of 2014 and rubbed salt in the wound by setting the fastest time in Friday practice despite experiencing gearbox problems in both sessions.

The German, who won four titles as Mateschitz's former darling driver, set a fastest time of one minute, 09.600 seconds, 11 hundredths-of-a-second ahead of Mercedes' Nico Rosberg.

Vettel's teammate Kimi Raikkonen finished the day in third while world champion Lewis Hamilton had to settle for fifth place behind Lotus' Pastor Maldonado.

It wasn't all plain sailing for Ferrari on Friday. Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene nearly walked into the path of Felipe Massa's Williams car as the Brazilian tried to exit the pit lane. Thankfully there was no harm done with the pair enjoying a joke later in the session.

Red Bull, like the other nine teams on the grid, are contracted to continue racing in F1 until the end of the commercial Concorde Agreement in 2020. His Red Bull Racing team won four back-to-back world titles between 2010 and 2013 but is now toiling in midfield because the cars' Renault engine lacks grunt. Vettel quickest in practice 'No driver and no chassis in this world can compensate for this horsepower deficit. How many more things have to happen before we lose all enjoyment?' 'Besides taking our time and money they [Renault] have destroyed our enjoyment and motivation,' Mateschitz told Red Bull's in-house motorsport publication Speed Week. Red Bull is contracted to use Renault engines for the 2016 season despite rumors it could turn to rivals Ferrari who, along with champions Mercedes, manufacture its own power units. It wasn't all plain sailing for Ferrari on Friday. Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene nearly walked into the path of Felipe Massa's Williams car as the Brazilian tried to exit the pit lane. Thankfully there was no harm done with the pair enjoying a joke later in the session. The engine regulations, set out by F1's governing body the FIA, restrict each driver to four new units per season but Renault reliability problems mean Ricciardo has already blasted through four. The performance of his cars at the Austrian Grand Prix -- a race he helped revived in 2014 -- could well be another tipping point for Mateschitz. In an interview published on the eve of his home grand prix, the Austrian billionaire said that the team's faltering partnership with the French supplier may have all but quenched his thirst for funding a team in the top tier of world motorsport. Red Bull is contracted to use Renault engines for the 2016 season despite rumors it could turn to rivals Ferrari who, along with champions Mercedes, manufacture its own power units. Daniel Ricciardo faces a 10-place grid drop for Sunday's race after the team confirmed he will use a fifth engine this weekend. The engine regulations, set out by F1's governing body the FIA, restrict each driver to four new units per season but Renault reliability problems mean Ricciardo has already blasted through four.

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