Red Bull hint at Le Mans entry as F1 alternative post-2020

In an unexpected twist, Red Bull have hinted at shifting to a new racing series- the 24 Hours of Le Mans, if new regulations kick in post the 2020 season, which will see the end of the Concorde Agreement, a long-kept secret between the FIA and Formula One teams.

The reason provided by Red Bull is that they do not want to be restricted by the possible cost caps which may be introduced by Liberty Media to level the playing field and provide more on-track excitement for live audiences and worldwide viewers alike.

"If there was a cost cap in Formula 1, we would have to cut people," said Red Bull motorsport boss, Dr. Helmut Marko told Autosport. "We don't necessarily want that. We could then use them in such projects as Le Mans."

He also insisted on the fact that the decision will be withheld as long as the rules and regulations are not made clear by Liberty. "We have an agreement until 2020," he said. "As long as there is no engine regulation and no Concorde Agreement, neither Red Bull nor Honda will make a decision."

"However, we will certainly not become dependent again, as we have been in the past, when we were begging others and statements and promises were not kept."

The Austrian was referring to Red Bull being engine customers, first with Renault and now with Honda, for all of their time in F1, with reduced costs meaning lesser development investment into engines, which would hamper their plans to challenge for the title once again.

Meanwhile, on the F1 front, Red Bull will field a new driver line-up in 2019 with two of their junior academy graduates- Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly, filling up the seats. The team is still smarting a little from the loss of Daniel Ricciardo to Renault and will hope that Gasly can fill the massive void left by the Australian.

Edited by Vikshith R