McLaren Honda again?
McLaren Honda again?
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Discussion

andyps

Original Poster:

7,819 posts

311 months

Sunday 3rd March 2013
quotequote all
Whilst the reports are all pretty much identical in terms of wording there are a few places reporting that there are already Honda engineers at McLaren for a future engine supply deal replacing Mercedes. An example is this - http://www.worldcarfans.com/113030354543/honda-eng...

Anyone know anything or think this at all likely?

F1GTRUeno

6,512 posts

247 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
I thought they were doing their own engines once MB let go?

Life Saab Itch

37,069 posts

217 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
McLaren have stated many times that they don't have the facilities to build their own engines for the race team and they don't want to.

They will use Merc customer engines for the foreseeable future.

Scuffers

20,887 posts

303 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
I am assuming that only reason they have not already signed with Merc is about how much...

Honda could just be a bargaining stick (and hence why it's kind of out there in the press...)

that said, at the moment we are only looking at 3 engines in 2014, F1 could do with more.... (unless you want to turn F1 into just another single make formula?)

coppice

9,698 posts

173 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
Or have a rerun of 72 season where we had 4 I think- BRM , Ferrari. Matra and the near ubiquitous DFV. But at least you could hear different engine notes- difficult to so with current daft little V8s.

rlw

3,583 posts

266 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
andyps said:
Whilst the reports are all pretty much identical in terms of wording there are a few places reporting that there are already Honda engineers at McLaren for a future engine supply deal replacing Mercedes. An example is this - http://www.worldcarfans.com/113030354543/honda-eng...

Anyone know anything or think this at all likely?
I said this months ago and was greeted with derision from many - I'll see if I can find my post.

belleair302

7,008 posts

236 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
Am sure a few McLaren engineers have been seen at Terminal 5 heading east. It may not be ready for 2014 but maybe 2015.

andyps

Original Poster:

7,819 posts

311 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
rlw said:
I said this months ago and was greeted with derision from many - I'll see if I can find my post.
I thought it had been discussed before but couldn't see a recent discussion.

It makes a lot of sense, just not sure if Honda would be ready to commit again, and certainly maybe not in time for 2014 unless they have already done a lot of work behind the scenes.

paul_y3k

618 posts

237 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
Mixed feeling about this. If Honda can potentially invest millions in a race engine program can they not stop laying people off first?

Or will it be the ol Race on Sunday, sell on Monday ?

RealSquirrels

11,327 posts

221 months

Monday 4th March 2013
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rice on Sunday

Scuffers

20,887 posts

303 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
Be nice to see, Honda being a top engine company, but as said, priorities must be to their bread and butter.

TheArchitect

1,238 posts

208 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
BBC seemed to have jumped on it also however reading the article it all seems a bit thin on facts.

disco1

1,963 posts

247 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
If this is true then this (along with the brain drain, rubbish management, error ridden tactics/people) really is the decline of McLaren as a top F1 team. Although Honda have a good record at building engines the jump to F1 is massive and their 2015 effort will probably be more akin to what you see the backmarkers running.

Is the switch from Mercedes simply to do with they cant afford the engines? Lets be honest in terms of income the roadcar division isn't exactly setting the world on fire (possibly running at a loss), they've lost the factory status with Mercedes and they've lost Lewis and his ability to generate sponsors?

Are they skinted?

RobGT81

5,229 posts

215 months

Monday 4th March 2013
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Are they writing off 2014 with the Merc engine then? Seems strange to build a car with one engine in mind only to start again a season later.

DanielSan

19,991 posts

196 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
TheArchitect said:
BBC seemed to have jumped on it also however reading the article it all seems a bit thin on facts.
I don't think there's one fact in there?

Life Saab Itch

37,069 posts

217 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
DanielSan said:
I don't think there's one fact in there?
This.

rdjohn

7,153 posts

224 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
It is important to remember that building a powerful 1.6 turbo engine is not much of a technical achievement, these days.

The important technologies for racing are the power-off turbo spinning and the super powerful KERS and it's batteries, (which eventually needs to be able to sustain the car during pit stops).

It is those technologies and resultant fuel consumption that will have a direct impact on future road cars.

So It is hardly surprising that other manufactures will want to jump onboard once all the pitfalls are known, a free supply of engines will be a big draw to any team, and McLaren or Red Bull would be the first doors that you would knock on.


Scuffers

20,887 posts

303 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
doubt it...

the battery requirements for an F1 ERS system are not that relevant to a road car.

F1 needs VERY fast charge/discharge times, but bugger all storage, EV's need large capacity and much slower charge/drain rates (relatively).

RealSquirrels

11,327 posts

221 months

Monday 4th March 2013
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surely fast charging times are interesting for road vehicles.

Scuffers

20,887 posts

303 months

Monday 4th March 2013
quotequote all
RealSquirrels said:
surely fast charging times are interesting for road vehicles.
not at those kind of rates their not.