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Red Bull going beyond to Infiniti

MONTE CARLO, Monaco - Red Bull will reportedly re-brand its Renault engines as “Infiniti” for the start of the turbo V6 era in 2014. Infiniti is the Renault-linked Nissan luxury division and already the World champion team's title sponsor.

German magazine Auto Motor und Sport's correspondent Michael Schmidt said: "In 2014, Infiniti is paying the Renault engine bill and wants advertising in return."

'HIGHEST IN F1'

Schmidt said Renault was looking for a new premium partner with which to advertise in and first choice was the former Renault works team - Lotus. The big problem, however, is Renault's highest-in-F1 quoted price for its engines, at the equivalent of about R248-million or more.

Renault's competitors are offering lower prices and it is believed Williams has already decided to make the switch to Mercedes for 2014, and Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez, and possibly also Caterham, are also "not prepared to meet Renault's demands", Schmidt claimed.

But Alain Prost, Renault's brand ambassador and a member of the executive committee, defended the French marque's pricing. "The budget of Renault Sport F1 is €150-million (R1.8-billion) a year and you can imagine that divided by four teams, for example, Renault is paying a big contribution."

Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Formula 1 season – fresh reports every day.
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