Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was left to lament another Renault engine failure as Daniel Ricciardo's system joined in the post-Bahrain Grand Prix fireworks.
As soon as race-winner Lewis Hamilton crossed the line for his third victory in four races, the Bahrain International Circuit was lit up by a spectacular display.
Around 50 seconds later, with Ricciardo approaching the finish, his Renault system let go in the final corner in equally stunning fashion, sending plumes of smoke into the air.
Fortunately for Ricciardo he managed to cross the line in sixth position, but it means he has now lost three of his allowed four engines this season.
"All the fireworks went off and the engine felt like it needed to join in!" said Horner in attempting to put some spin on another disappointing outing.
"It was a fairly spectacular finish, failing 200 metres before the line, but he had enough momentum to cross it.
"I think that engine will be a coffee table in the future!
"But that's three out of four, so he will be on engine four for the next race in Barcelona (Spanish Grand Prix)."
There are plans in the pipeline for the rules to be tweaked to allow the teams to use a fifth engine.
A regulation change requires ratification by the World Motor Sport Council, with the next meeting not until June, although a fax vote can be organised.
For Red Bull and Renault that cannot come soon enough, with Horner adding: "We unanimously agreed on it (the fifth engine) in Malaysia.
"That was all the teams, including Bernie (Ecclestone), so it only has to formally go through the strategy group and permission to be signed, and that can be done by fax vote."
Source: PA
