With Honda's departure from Formula 1, only three engine suppliers will remain active from 2022; Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault. So there is little to choose for Red Bull Racing, especially if some of these manufacturers refuse to supply power. According to Marca, the Austrian race team will contact Mercedes first.
"Helmut Marko and Christian Horner are likely to try to close a deal with Mercedes AMG F1, an organisation that has an interest in only being a supplier to many teams in Formula 1 and perhaps not its own race team (if it is eventually sold to INEOS or another brand)", writes the Spanish newspaper.
What will Mercedes do?
A lot will depend on how Mercedes sees the future ahead. Will it continue to win world titles as a factory team or will it only continue as an engine supplier. As long as the latter does not happen, it seems unlikely that Mercedes will make a major competitor better.
Cooperation with Ferrari doesn't seem to be going to happen anyway, so Renault is the only other option. "Mainly because it will supply only one team with engines, Alpine F1 from 2021." However, it is not a foregone conclusion that the French will embrace the Milton Keynes-based team again. "The new CEO of Renault, Luca de Meo, is planning to build a winning team with Fernando Alonso."