Formula 1 must bring down the costs of its power units to keep engine manufacturers in the sport, according to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

With more governments setting targets to ban the sale of cars with combustion engines including F1-style hybrids, the future involvement of major car manufacturers such as Red Bull supplier Honda has been called into question. But Horner believes the core problem is the costs involved in competing in F1, which does not just apply to Honda.

“I think all the motor companies are under increasing pressure,” Horner told RaceFans in an exclusive interview. “And therefore cost is a key question, I would think, in all the manufacturers’ minds at the moment, not just isolated to Honda. I think Renault, Mercedes and even Ferrari have got the same challenges.

“That’s a worry for Formula 1, particularly with the way the world market is at the moment in the automotive industry.”

A budget cap will be introduced for the 2021 F1 season but it will not apply to engine development.

“Whilst we focus very hard on the budget cap for the chassis side, the engine is untouched at the moment,” said Horner. “And I think it is vital for the sustainability of Formula 1 engine supply that costs are reduced.”

Red Bull used Renault power until 2018, but split unhappy from the French manufacturer five years after their last championship success together. Mercedes and Ferrari have previously been unwilling to supply power units to the 2010-13 champions.

Horner admitted Red Bull would be “in a difficult predicament” if Honda called time on its F1 involvement and “would have to consider our future very carefully.”

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2020 F1 season