On the face of it, a switch from the third most competitive engine of the turbo-hybrid era to the least competitive engine doesn't sound great. But Red Bull's decision to use Honda power from 2019 is all about the future and not the past. A fragile relationship with Renault gave little hope of taking the fight to Mercedes and Ferrari over the next two years while the Honda deal puts more of Red Bull's destiny in its own hands.
What went wrong between Red Bull and Renault?
After winning four consecutive drivers' and constructors' championships together between 2010 and 2013, the Red Bull/Renault partnership became strained when Renault failed to deliver under new turbo-hybrid regulations in 2014.