Renault would welcome Red Bull challenge

That is the view of Renault's engine technical director Rob White, who claims that the French car manufacturer are actually 'proud' that a potentially competitive team like Red Bull Racing wanted to run their power-units.

Hopes are high within Red Bull that their new Adrian Newey-designed car can help them make a significant step forward this season, after the difficulties they experienced with Ferrari last year.

"The engines are designed with and for our Enstone colleagues, and we have a clear priority for the works team, but I don't see any particular conflict of interest in supplying that engine to another competitor," said White, whose work has helped power Renault to the last two world titles.

"The ambitions of Red Bull are self evident. The Adrian Newey effect will be present whichever engine it would have in - and we are pleased and proud that Red Bull wanted to put a Renault engine in their car, and pleased and proud that Adrian Newey wanted to have a Renault engine in the car.

"I guess we know that we will be scrutinised and the team will be scrutinised because of it, but I don't see it as a bad thing.

"And it is better if on the race track a Red Bull makes a nuisance of itself with a Renault engine in it than with another engine in it."

Renault have promised to treat Red Bull Racing with complete equality this year in terms of the engines they receive, with White saying it is easier to approach their supply that way than try and favour the works team.