Paris: Renault expect to power four Formula One teams next season with Red Bull's two confirmed and Caterham and Lotus set to renew soon, Renault Sport F1 director Jean-Michel Jalinier said on Thursday.
The French manufacturer, who have helped Red Bull sweep up the last three constructors' titles, will supply the champions' sister team Toro Rosso next season when a new V6 unit replaces the current V8. Williams, who use Renault engines at present, are switching to Mercedes.
"We very likely will end up with four teams," Jean-Michel Jalinier told reporters at an event set up by the French carmakers' union. "The discussions with Lotus and Caterham have progressed. It's almost done with them, so there's a high probability that we end up with four (teams) in 2014."
Caterham are committed to Renault although no formal agreement has been struck yet. The French manufacturer currently supplies Lotus, the former championship-winning Renault team. Formula One is ditching the current 2.4 litre V8 engine at the end of this year for a new 1.6 litre V6 with turbocharger and energy recovery system.
Renault will unveil the engine they have developed with Red Bull at next week's Paris air show at Le Bourget, Jalinier said. The deals will be announced shortly afterwards, he added.
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