Mercedes has reportedly now joined Ferrari in being prepared to supply Formula One engines to Red Bull in 2016.
With the energy drink-owned team and its current engine partner Renault appearing close to a breakup, Ferrari's Sergio Marchionne recently offered to sell customer Maranello-made engines to Red Bull from next year. However, it is believed the Ferrari deal would have kept its new customer one specification behind the works team, which intensified Red Bull's alternative enquiries with Mercedes.
Mercedes, in contrast, insists it always supplies identical equipment with full equality to its customers, and may have a vacancy in its roster open up for 2016 if Lotus is bought by Renault.
"Actually, one should not help to make one's opponents stronger," Mercedes chief Toto Wolff told Germany's Sport Bild. "But we also need to find a balance between pure egoism and the welfare of the championship. Of course, we know it's important to have a healthy and exciting platform, as victories are always more valuable if they are against strong competition.
"As a team, we are first and foremost geared to seek our advantages and win the championship, but as participants, we also have a responsibility to the series as a whole."
