Honda - another disaster ?

[RumbleOfThunder]

Ross played an absolute blinder there. Have to say I'm much happier with him taking a leadership role in F1, I couldn't think of anyone better.

[Vaud]

RumbleOfThunder said:

Ross played an absolute blinder there. Have to say I'm much happier with him taking a leadership role in F1, I couldn't think of anyone better.

I agree. Big brain, small ego, surrounds himself with smart people.

[AndStilliRise]

Vaud said:

RumbleOfThunder said:

Ross played an absolute blinder there. Have to say I'm much happier with him taking a leadership role in F1, I couldn't think of anyone better.

I agree. Big brain, small ego.

Sounds like me, just the other way round.

[Paul578]

Vaud said:

It probably would not have won with the Honda engine according to Ross B and Nick F - it was still not competitive, despite Hondas protestations.

I think there is a slice of discrection in that statement from RB / NF, the then RA109 had a long pre-development cycle since the RA108 turned out early to be such a lemon, it employed new flywheel and gearbox designs and discarded a novel flywheel based KERS system, but alas no-one will really know what could have happened if this design had been realised, and it is one best left for armchair pundits to ponder.

[CraigyMc]

Paul578 said:

... alas no-one will really know what could have happened if this design had been realised, and it is one best left for armchair pundits to ponder.

Most oddly, Honda did actually continue to develop the RA109 even after the Brawn sale.

Have a read of http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/hon...

[Vaud]

Paul578 said:

I think there is a slice of discrection in that statement from RB / NF, the then RA109 had a long pre-development cycle since the RA108 turned out early to be such a lemon, it employed new flywheel and gearbox designs and discarded a novel flywheel based KERS system, but alas no-one will really know what could have happened if this design had been realised, and it is one best left for armchair pundits to ponder.

True, my only reference was Ross' comparison of the RA108 performance figures to what he knew from other engines.

[garylythgoe]

CraigyMc said:

Most oddly, Honda did actually continue to develop the RA109 even after the Brawn sale.

Have a read of http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/hon...

Thanks for sharing that. I really enjoyed that!

[FourWheelDrift]

It's not all bad news, they're not as bad as Red Bull - http://www.crash.net/f1/feature/267956/1/which-tea...

[enter stiffupperlip.smiley]

[Crafty_]

Boullier "McLaren-Honda now on the right path"

http://www.racer.com/f1/item/142081-boullier-mclar...

[Smollet]

Rumours that the Sauber deal is now off following Kaltenburg's departure
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130672

[CraigyMc]

Smollet said:

Rumours that the Sauber deal is now off following Kaltenburg's departure
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130672

Joe Saward is also reporting trouble (or at least, some sort of shanaigans) in the Sauber-Honda deal, along with news that Fred Vasseur is their new head honcho.

[Jinba Ittai]

CraigyMc said:

Smollet said:

Rumours that the Sauber deal is now off following Kaltenburg's departure
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130672

Joe Saward is also reporting trouble (or at least, some sort of shanaigans) in the Sauber-Honda deal, along with news that Fred Vasseur is their new head honcho.

Could it be Honda are pulling the plug on F1 altogether? McLaren have got a Merc deal already signed and are waiting for Honda to go public before confirming?

[carl_w]

Jinba Ittai said:

Could it be Honda are pulling the plug on F1 altogether? McLaren have got a Merc deal already signed and are waiting for Honda to go public before confirming?

Latest rumours are a McLaren-Ferrari deal, possibly badged as an Alfa-Romeo engine.

[LordGrover]

Vaud said:

It's generally easier to add reliability than to add speed. (Massive armchair enthusiast sweeping statement)

Cheap, fast, reliable - you can choose only two.

[Vaud]

LordGrover said:

Cheap, fast, reliable - you can choose only two.

Though arguably Force India do a good job on a low budget - high reliability, fast and they don't have the largest budget...

[MissChief]

I really cannot see any chance of Ferrari agreeing to supply a potential rival. If McLaren do change supplier, and rumours have died down a little and even McLaren themselves have softened their stance since the Spec 3 engine debuted, it will be to Mercedes.

[Jinba Ittai]

carl_w said:

Jinba Ittai said:

Could it be Honda are pulling the plug on F1 altogether? McLaren have got a Merc deal already signed and are waiting for Honda to go public before confirming?

Latest rumours are a McLaren-Ferrari deal, possibly badged as an Alfa-Romeo engine.

If that were to happen, surely an interim for a few years until McLaren get another manufacturer deal lined up? Possibly Porsche/Audi?

[Bristol spark]

I can't see Mclaren using anything other than Honda next Year Complete with Alonso.

They would be crazy to change now things are looking good.

[Frimley111R]

Bristol spark said:

I can't see Mclaren using anything other than Honda next Year Complete with Alonso.

They would be crazy to change now things are looking good.

I am not sure what you think 'looking good' looks like but its not the view from the midfield. However, they do seem to be making progress and I wonder if they jumped now to another engine supplier, Honda would have a leading engine in 2-3 more years.

[Jinba Ittai]

Frimley111R said:

Bristol spark said:

I can't see Mclaren using anything other than Honda next Year Complete with Alonso.

They would be crazy to change now things are looking good.

I am not sure what you think 'looking good' looks like but its not the view from the midfield. However, they do seem to be making progress and I wonder if they jumped now to another engine supplier, Honda would have a leading engine in 2-3 more years.

I would much prefer McLaren to stay with Honda, and for it all to come good, but I think McLaren's patience ran out for good a couple of month ago. They have had to make a decision about future engine supply as work on next year's car has started. I just get an uneasy feeling McLaren have signed another engine deal with an at this time unknown supplier, Honda have made the decision to pull out and have notified Sauber so they can make other arrangements.