Red Bull hit by delay of Renault engine upgrade

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An upgrade of Renault's power unit scheduled for the Canadian Grand Prix in June has been delayed indefinitely by the manufacturer.

Red Bull has confirmed the report, leaving the Milton Keynes outfit to struggle for performance behind front-runners Mercedes and Ferrari.

Red Racing Racing is still planning to introduce its 'B-spec' car next week at Barcelona but the absence of any progress on the engine front is undoubtedly a setback for Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen.

Renault has apparently put its power unit updates on the backburner for reliability concerns.

"As long as Renault does not have reliability under control, there is no further development," Red Bull's Helmut Marko told Auto Motor und Sport.

"This is a setback for us."

Red Bull doubts results of FIA engine parity study

At the same time, rumours are swirling that Renault is actually accelerating development on a single car -- the works machine raced by Nico Hulkenberg.

"The fuel may be different but the hardware is the same, Renault assures us," said Marko.

"It would be impossible to build two different engines anyway.

"You only get this impression (that Hulkenberg has a faster engine) in qualifying, but one reason could be that Hulkenberg is a frighteningly good driver in qualifying," he added.

So for now, Red Bull is putting its eggs in the 'B car' basket, with simulations promising a huge step forward of a full second per lap.

"We know all the numbers but now I want to see it on the stopwatch in Barcelona," Marko said.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.