Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo claims Red Bull’s future in Formula One rests on boss Dietrich Mateschitz luring Audi into the sport.

Following its troubled start to the 2015 season, the energy drink giant has repeatedly voiced its disapproval against the current engine regulations and issued several quit threats.

With Renault also menacing to leave, Red Bull and sister team Toro Rosso could be left without any power unit supplier in the near future.

This would further precipitate the Austrian company's pulling the plug on F1, although Red Bull has a contract to stay in the sport until at least 2020.

In an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica, di Montezemolo reveals that Mateschitz is currently pushing for Audi to join the fray and will eventually call it day if his lobbying proves unsuccessful.

“Red Bull has imploded,” said the ex-Ferrari boss. “I know Mateschitz is thinking of selling, he's told a common friend: 'Either I convince Audi to enter, or I'm out'.”

Click here for a look at the radical Honda power unit design

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Julien Billiotte

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