Francois Lenoir At the end of last year, Red Bull Racing's future in Formula One beyond 2021 seemed in doubt. In October, Honda, its engine supplier since 2019, announced its intention to depart the sport at the end of 2021, leaving the team and its sister customer outfit, Alpha Tauri, with just one year to find a replacement. With three other engine makers to choose from, how hard could that be? As it turns out, very. In fact, none of them could – or would – supply Red Bull: as of 2021, apart from their works squad, Mercedes is servicing three other teams and would surely lack the capacity to assist a fifth; or, could also just be disingenuously masking its refusal to supply a feared rival. Ditto for Ferrari, although given their shocking 2020 performance levels, it's doubtful they would have attracted courtship by the ultra-demanding Red Bull organisation at any rate. And what of Renault? The less said, the better: an acrimonious divorce following years of disappointment is what led to Red Bull dumping them for Honda in the first place at the end of 2018.