Renault Rule Out Customer Engines for 2003

Renault managing director Jean Jacques His has insisted they will not be able to supply customer engines to any team on the grid in 2003 but have not ruled out doing so in the future.

The French marque, which re-joined Formula One as a full manufacturer this year, have developed a successful radical wide V-angle engine but His claimed last weekend that no one would be allowed to get their hands on it next year.

"We will not be able to do that in 2003," said His when asked if Renault would supply a second team. "It is a new engine and we would not be ready for that. It would be very difficult to supply a customer engine for 2003 but sometime it may be possible.

"It all depends on the Formula One rules. We might be open to it."

One of the cost cutting options currently being pedalled by the FIA is to insist engine manufacturers supply two teams, but such a rule is unlikely to be introduced next year.