Honda - another disaster ?

[anonymous-user]

Now word is Sauber are NOT using Honda engines for 2018.

Wise move.

[MissChief]

ELUSIVEJIM said:

Now word is Sauber are NOT using Honda engines for 2018.

Wise move.

But who then? If, as has been rumoured for some time, McLaren are taking Mercedes engines (I can't see it TBH, it would likely have been announced by now) then that leaves Honda with nothing. And a wasted three years and millions spent.

If Sauber go to Ferrari then they'll want more than a single year deal. They did this year which is why they're running a year old engine.

The only other potential engine supplier then is either Mercedes or Renault?

[anonymous-user]

MissChief said:

But who then? If, as has been rumoured for some time, McLaren are taking Mercedes engines (I can't see it TBH, it would likely have been announced by now) then that leaves Honda with nothing. And a wasted three years and millions spent.

If Sauber go to Ferrari then they'll want more than a single year deal. They did this year which is why they're running a year old engine.

The only other potential engine supplier then is either Mercedes or Renault?

Honda pulled the plug back in 2008 and that paved the way for Brawn to then win the Championship.

Considering the state of play perhaps it would be better for them to just leave.

Very sad. F1 screwed them when they first arrived with McLaren and they have never been able to catch up.

[Crafty_]

If Sauber aren't getting Honda engines (Honda claims they are and that nothing has changed) they'll surely stay with Ferrari engines, taking Leclerc as a driver to reduce the bill. Maybe Giovinazzi too ?

Interesting suggestion I saw - McLaren suddenly being nice to Honda is not because they are staying together, but rather than the split has been made and the only thing left is to announce it... Maybe, but why bother go out of their way to say good things ? I reckon its more likely they are going to stay put.

[MissChief]

ELUSIVEJIM said:

MissChief said:

But who then? If, as has been rumoured for some time, McLaren are taking Mercedes engines (I can't see it TBH, it would likely have been announced by now) then that leaves Honda with nothing. And a wasted three years and millions spent.

If Sauber go to Ferrari then they'll want more than a single year deal. They did this year which is why they're running a year old engine.

The only other potential engine supplier then is either Mercedes or Renault?

Honda pulled the plug back in 2008 and that paved the way for Brawn to then win the Championship.

Considering the state of play perhaps it would be better for them to just leave.

Very sad. F1 screwed them when they first arrived with McLaren and they have never been able to catch up.

I'd rather they stayed and got the engine working well and then brought out the new engine for 2020 and help McLaren win again.

[Frimley111R]

ELUSIVEJIM said:

F1 screwed them when they first arrived with McLaren.

Eh?

[Vaud]

There is a very interesting article on Autosport Plus titled, "Why McLaren ditching Honda isn't as easy as it seems" which looks at the layers of complexity.

Worth a read if you have the subscription.

[fomb]

MissChief said:

McLaren themselves have softened their stance since the Spec 3 engine debuted, it will be to Mercedes.

I wonder if all the huffing and puffing we saw in Canada was a way of persuading Honda to sign off a Spec 3 unit earlier rather than later. At the time the press were saying it was still some time off, but suddenly it popped up for a test at Baku.

[Frimley111R]

Dire reliability and still no pace.

Someone get FA out of this disaster! (Renault look good)

[thegreenhell]

Suspected fuel pump issue caused Alonso's retirement today, so hopefully not another Honda failure.

[Frimley111R]

Still a part of the engine surely?

[anonymous-user]

Frimley111R said:

Still a part of the engine surely?

there are multiple fuel pumps on a modern F1 car, some on the engine, some in the fuel cell.

[Mr Tidy]

jsf said:

Frimley111R said:

Still a part of the engine surely?

there are multiple fuel pumps on a modern F1 car, some on the engine, some in the fuel cell.

Whatever failed this time, it is just painful to have to see a driver that talented trying to race in a car that's less reliable than my first Cortina!

I really can't see FA putting up with it much longer - and you can't blame him!

I do wonder if it is all about Honda - might Ron Dennis' influence have got them a bit nearer to being competitive if he hadn't been kicked out?

I realise we'll never know, but you can't help wondering!

[Frimley111R]

Yep, I do wonder how McLaren will get on now that the driving force behind the team has gone. Last time he stepped away it didn't go well and so now he is totally out of the picture...

[Dr Z]

2 days of testing done for the 2018 Pirelli compounds at Magny-Cours.



252 laps done in total. Has nobody told Honda this is not pre-season testing?



That front wing.

ETA

Edited by Dr Z on Friday 21st July 13:09

[patmahe]

Good God those big fat tyres look magnificent.

[LordGrover]

Dr Z said:

2 days of testing done for the 2018 Pirelli compounds at Silverstone.



252 laps done in total. Has nobody told Honda this is not pre-season testing?



That front wing.

patmahe said:

Good God those big fat tyres look magnificent.

[RumbleOfThunder]

That image is somewhat squashed. Sorry to be a party pooper.

[CraigyMc]

RumbleOfThunder said:

That image is somewhat squashed. Sorry to be a party pooper.

Yeah, look at the mechanics. They aren't *that* fat.

252 laps of Magny Cours is about 1111km. That's more than half the race distance Stoff has done this whole season... in 2 days.

There's no word on whether McLaren/Honda changed engines overnight between the two days. In addition, the first day was wet, so it's more gentle on the PU than dry running.

Still, it's nice they ran so long.

[MissChief]

Any idea how/why McLaren were allowed to do this? Surely it's not just tyre testing but car and engine testing too? We're other teams asked? Did they draw the team out of a hat?