TAG change to Red Bull connected to new F1 engine name?

[John S]

Why else would Horner tease Ron about the new monicker? 

It's well documented now that Renault have agreed to continue to supply a basic engine block to RBR for 2016, in fact this agreement has even made negotiating historic status for Enstone team with Bernie more difficult - but that's another tale.

Q- So why, according to a report on GrandPrix247.com, won't Ron Dennis be very happy with RBR's new engine?

“Wait and see what it [Red Bull’s 2016 engine] is called,” Red Bull boss Christian Horner said late on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

“It will be something quite good. I don’t think Ron Dennis will be very happy, but he hasn’t been very happy recently,” Horner told the BBC.

A - it will be badged TAG.     

Courtesy grandprix247.com, Today.

[Alianora La Canta]

That, or Red Bull want to do that but haven't agreed all the details yet...

[John S]

Oh you non-believers.

http://master.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-confirms-tag-heuer-engine-deal/

[Scott]

I know this is a Swiss sponsor moving from one British team to another, but I will once again bemoan the fact that Switzerland provides more sponsors to F1 than any other country, yet basically none of them are willing to sponsor Sauber.  Pathetic...really pathetic.  Sauber has shown over the years that with the right backing it is the little team that can, but when it is on a shoestring budget, it remains the little team that can't.  Shame on you Allianz, UBS, Rolex & TAG for giving your money to Bernie and a stink drink manufacturer instead of Sauber.

[cosworth151]

Looks like it's official. From the RBR website:

As the curtain falls on the 2015 Formula One season and the sport gears up for next year's challenge, the timing is right for Red Bull Racing to reveal that the team's 2016 F1 car will race with a power unit carrying the name of motorsport's most iconic timing brand – TAG Heuer.

The new partnership, which represents a shift away from F1's conventional supply systems, will see TAG Heuer take up naming rights of the team's power unit, which will be supplied by Renault. The new car will be christened the Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer RB12.

http://www.infiniti-redbullracing.com/article/timing-everything

[Scott]

Can't wait for the official watch...spend a couple thousand bucks to advertise for Red Bull   

[cosworth151]

Now it looks like the Infiniti sponsorship will be moving to Lotus/Renault/Whatever they end up calling it next season. No surprise there as Infiniti is part of the Renault Nissan Alliance. Tag will be title sponsor for McLaren.

http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/tag-heuer-replacing-infiniti-new-title-sponsor-red-bull-racing-f1-team

[Jericoke]

I was wondering how STR fit into all of this.

They're switching back to Ferrari engines

http://www.carscoops.com/2015/12/toro-rosso-returning-to-ferrari-power.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Carscoop+%28CARSCOOPS%29

Of course, they're 2015 spec Ferrari engines.

"Because of its late deal with the Ferrari for the 2016 season, Toro Rosso will run 2015-spec engines for next season"

What does that even mean?  The engines are hand made: it's not like Maranello has a dozen sitting on the shelf ready for a clearance sale.

[John S]

Jeri it means STR will run the Power Unit homologated for this season, 2015. Any new modifications for 2016 from use of the 32 tokens available to Ferrari for next year will only be available to Ferrari - oh and in time to Sauber and Haas.

Manufacturers should be giving customer teams the same spec as the factory team, in reality there is a time gap between the updates on the main team cars and the customers. STR however will not get any updates, save for any reliability add-ons, and will be stuck with the PU spec the whole season, like Manor was this year with the 2014 engines.

Still the performance of the 2015 Ferrari PU may still out gun the new 2016 Renault - sorry Tag-Heuer - and embarrass the Senior team at MK.   

[Jericoke]

Jeri it means STR will run the Power Unit homologated for this season, 2015. Any new modifications for 2016 from use of the 32 tokens available to Ferrari for next year will only be available to Ferrari - oh and in time to Sauber and Haas.

Manufacturers should be giving customer teams the same spec as the factory team, in reality there is a time gap between the updates on the main team cars and the customers. STR however will not get any updates, save for any reliability add-ons, and will be stuck with the PU spec the whole season, like Manor was this year with the 2014 engines.

Still the performance of the 2015 Ferrari PU may still out gun the new 2016 Renault - sorry Tag-Heuer - and embarrass the Senior team at MK.

Sorry, I understand what the 'deal' STR is getting is.

My question was regarding the quote itself.  What does it being December have to do with STR getting a 2015 spec engine?  It's the bald face lie that bothers me.  (Well, that and the complete disregard for fair competition involved.)

[John S]

Yeah I see what you mean Jeri, it is odd as the FIA had to pass a new rule to alow Ferrari to supply year old engines, and most everybody knew months ago that STR would use Ferrari engines.

I thought at first it was just the reporter on carscoops.com who had embellished the story, but the quote is definitely from STR as virtually the same sentence is appearing on several other sites on the same subject subject - and is attributed to Torro Rosso on more than one.

Seems The Red Bull family may have now taken a vow to not disrespect their engine suppliers which is laudable, however telling whoppers when no defence of the situation is necessary smacks of a really big brown nose job.