Fighting Renown could give the Scharnhorst-class ships a victory at the cost of damage. The delay might allow Warspite to reach them. In that case, damaged ships that had sunk Renown would be expected to be sunk in turn, with Warspite's 15-inch/42 guns inflicting serious damage. Her destroyers would eventually catch up even in the storm. Losing the German ships so early would remove them from Operation Berlin and raise the question of whether Bismarck would later sail.
Notable Point · 45:10-47:19
If the Scharnhorst-class ships stayed to fight Renown
A possible victory over Renown could leave the German ships damaged and exposed to Warspite, with consequences for later German operations.