Relations between Formula One team Red Bull and engine supplier Renault have taken a turn for the worse ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Both parties are blaming each other for a poor start to the season, and Cyril Abiteboul, head of Renault's F1 operation, on Wednesday told France's Auto Hedbo: "It is hard to have a partner who lies."
Red Bull technical boss Adrian Newey had said after Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished sixth and Daniil Kvyat's car suffered gearbox trouble on the way to the start at the Australian Grand Prix that there was "no light at the end of the tunnel" and "we've got an engine which is quite a long way behind".
Abiteboul is quoted as saying: "Adrian is a charming gentleman and an outstanding engineer, but he has spent his life criticising engine manufacturers. And he's too old to change."
Red Bull won four drivers' and constructors' world championships between 2010 and 2013, but have struggled since the introduction last season of V6 hybrid engines.
Team principal Christian Horner was also critical of the Renault engine after the Melbourne race, and Abiteboul conceded afterwards that Renault seemed "to have moved backwards" after also experiencing problems with the Renault-power Lotus and Toro Rosso cars.
Abiteboul was quoted on the Formula One website as saying: "We need to work together to understand our issues, both within the power unit and the chassis.
"Our figures have shown that the lap time deficit between Red Bull and Mercedes in Melbourne was equally split between driveability issues, engine performance and chassis performance.
"It's therefore the overall package that needs some help and we have been working with the team to move forward."
Remi Taffin, Renault's director of operations, said the French manufacturer saw the race in Malaysia as a "chance to press the restart button for the season".
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