Listening to Aston Martin's V12-powered Valkyrie screaming its way around Silverstone in mid-November last year, my thoughts turned to engine supplier Cosworth and the dilemma of Formula 1's unhealthy reliance on car companies as we enter a decade of change within the automotive industry.
It never takes much turbulence to cause manufacturers to cast a bean counter's eye in the direction of F1, as recent events have shown.
Since the arrest of its chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn in November 2018, Renault has endured unprecedented boardroom turmoil and tough trading conditions.