If Formula 1's future regulations aren't in phase with Red Bull's expectations, the company could leave Grand Prix racing and support an Aston Martin Valkyrie-based effort at Le Mans.
Red Bull Racing will enjoy the works support of Honda for the next two seasons, with its future beyond 2020 dependent on the partnership's results, but also on F1's ability to offer teams a viable regulation and commercial platform from 2021.
Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko believes that the company's prospects, as they currently stand, are unclear. The Austrian's only certainty is that Red Bull will no longer settle for customer status in F1.
"We have an agreement until 2020," Marko told Autosport.
"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.
"Stop is the option. Or do something else, other racing series."
One racing alternative that could come under consideration for Red Bull would be Le Mans, with the WEC ushering in new regulations in 2020 centered around a class of hypercar machines, something right up Aston Martin's alley.
"With the Valkyrie, Le Mans could be an option with hypercar rules. We went through with it, and it's a sensational success," Marko said.
"The cars were all sold out immediately. That's another good pillar for Red Bull Technologies."
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Marko therefore envisions a life after Formula 1 for Red Bull Racing, or activities parallel to Formula 1.
"If there was a cost cap in Formula 1, we would have to cut people. We don't necessarily want that. We could then use them in such projects [as Le Mans]," he explained.
"It still looks like you can run in the WEC at a reasonable cost with the base of our Valkyrie.
"Although Red Bull has never been to the 24 Hours, that's something we're thinking about.
"The main financial burden would be on Aston Martin, which is also clear, because at Le Mans the manufacturer wins. But that would fit into our concept."
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