Sep.17 (GMM) If Red Bull had known in advance the performance of Cosworth's engine, the British marque and F1's title leading team could be working together now.

That is the opinion of Cosworth's managing director Tim Routsis, who has revealed that talks between the independent Northampton based engine maker and Red Bull took place a year ago.

Instead, the RB6 is fitted with the Renault V8, which according to Red Bull is significantly down on power compared with the industry leading F1 engines.

Red Bull designer Adrian Newey said this week that the 2011 car will likely also be powered by Renault, due to McLaren vetoing a collaboration with the team's preferred supplier, Mercedes.

But Routsis reveals that there were talks last year between Cosworth, who have lost Lotus as an engine customer for 2011, and Red Bull.

"There were several contacts with Red Bull," he is quoted by the Italian language Autosprint.

"But we were at a disadvantage, because we had no evidence about how our engine was going to debut.

"I am convinced that if we had been able to wind the clocks forward by 13 months, things with Red Bull would have gone differently," added Routsis.

At Monza, Sir Frank Williams confirmed once again that his Oxfordshire built cars will be powered by Cosworth in 2011, although the financial health of the marque's other partners - HRT and Virgin - is clouded.

"We are pleased to have produced a very reliable and economical engine," Routsis concluded. "This I think is recognised by everyone."

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