Renault's managing director Cyril Abiteboul says Red Bull is finally giving good feedback to the French manufacturer about its power unit.
Renault and Red Bull's relationship descended into acrimony last year after another season with an unreliable and uncompetitive power unit. Red Bull spent much of the year looking for a different engine supply for 2016, but eventually had to settle for another season with Renault, albeit under the TAG Heuer branding.
Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko was one of the most outspoken critics of Renault's power unit but Abiteboul says the Austrian has been positive in his feedback about the 2016 iteration.
"The engine is much more reliable, the car is also reliable, Red Bull is happy," Abiteboul is quoted as saying by Autosport. "I've had very positive comments from Helmut, so life is beautiful. But I take nothing for granted."
Renault is now operating as a works team after purchasing the Lotus outfit late last year. Red Bull has stayed on as its only customer team for 2016 and Abiteboul insists the relationship is civil despite the falling out of last year.
"It's positive. It's never really been that negative. I always have had some respect for Red Bull's capacity to chase performance at any financial, marketing and political cost. While I have respect I am also looking after the programme of a large carmaker which cannot accept its brand being criticised.
"That was the watershed, when there was some criticism. They can say I'm an idiot, that we've done a bad job, but they cannot say anything negative about the brand. But that's history, that's in the past. Let's focus on the future and good things, and the relationship is good."