Cyril Abiteboul is rumored to be joining Red Bull as the head of their new Powertrains department.
At the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season, Abiteboul left the grid after Renault(currently Alpine) chose to sack him after failing to win a podium place in the Constructors’ Championship.
This comes as Abiteboul’s relationship with Red Bull boss Christian Horner during his time with the French squad was rocky, with the two teams frequently battling over Red Bull’s dissatisfaction with the Renault engines they were given.
According to Italian media reports, the feud between the two rivals has been settled and Abiteboul is currently running to be the manager of Red Bull Powertrains.
The rumors follow his appearance in the Red Bull garage during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when he complimented the team when asked about his presence.
“I have to confess I was at Red Bull… I can admit it because I was spotted there. It’s all right, I’ve chosen the right place,” said Abiteboul.
“I have worked a lot with Red Bull. People remember our differences, but I also have a lot of respect for this completely results-oriented organisation.”
“I want to say that at all costs… Sometimes that was what Renault lacked, that willingness to want to win at all costs.”
“When I see the strategic choices made by Helmut Marko, with Max and with Honda, and the implementation of them by the team in Milton Keynes under Christian’s leadership, I am glad it paid off in the end,” the former Renault boss continued.
“And those last few minutes in Abu Dhabi, you could say to yourself it was meant to be.”
According to Motorsport.com, he was at the race weekend negotiating a move that would make him head of their engine department in their first year using their own engines.
With Abiteboul working as a consultant for Mecachrome, the manufacturer that assembles Renault’s F1 engines since quitting the team, the move may make more sense than it appears.
