Honda coming back to F1?

Honda coming back to F1?

Author
Discussion

Blackpuddin

Original Poster:

16,409 posts

204 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
According to this story in Autocar, it sounds like more than a definite maybe.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/f1-2012/honda-ad...

AreOut

3,658 posts

160 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
are they going to engineer the best car again and leave the circus for another company to take the fame?

Life Saab Itch

37,068 posts

187 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
AreOut said:
are they going to engineer the best car again and leave the circus for another company to take the fame?
Even if the Brawn had been a honda, it would have still had the Honda engine,,,,which would have lumbered a sublime chassis with an old boat anchor.

williamp

19,213 posts

272 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Honda. Try the WEC. take the fight to Audi and Toyota. We'll be missing some lola chassis in 2013...

zac510

5,546 posts

205 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
This is how ridiculous rumours get started.

One person reads that article and thinks "This represents just the opinion of one individual and if events (ie the rule changes) occur then the probability will increase slightly"

Another person reads it and thinks "Honda are definitely coming back to F1!!11!1!!1 OMGZORS"

Rex Ironstone

1,130 posts

189 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Honda are definitely coming back to F1!!11!1!!1 OMGZORS

robmlufc

5,227 posts

185 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Honda are definitely coming back to F1!!11!1!!1 OMGZORS

robmlufc

5,227 posts

185 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
PW said:
You know what the "H" in HPD stands for...
Wirth Research basically, rather than full fat Honda :-)

rlw

3,321 posts

236 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Watching the silly McLaren cartoon pre last week's Japanese GP, I was struck by the very close resemblance of the two robots featured in it to the fancy Honda robot that was doing the rounds a few years ago. Coincidence or a subtle hint?

robmlufc

5,227 posts

185 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
PW said:
Wirth's funding it?
American Honda Motor Company I guess? Sorry I thought we were talking about a full factory effort.

coppice

8,562 posts

143 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Life Saab Itch said:
Even if the Brawn had been a honda, it would have still had the Honda engine,,,,which would have lumbered a sublime chassis with an old boat anchor.
But if you consider the engines which Honda has got right- such as F1 between 85- 92 ?

ArnageWRC

2,050 posts

158 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Why are they thinking of F1 – haven’t they learned their lesson?
The WEC would be a far better series for them, up against their rival Toyota, as well as Audi, Porsche, etc It also offers a better technology showcase – rather than the ‘one size fits all’ F1 engine spec.

P-Jay

10,551 posts

190 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Have they got any 'sporty' cars in the pipeline that would benefit from F1 promotion?

There's no point in spending millions in F1 if all your road cars are built and designed to be sold to people who don't crave a 'sporty' drive.



Redlake27

2,255 posts

243 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
ArnageWRC said:
Why are they thinking of F1 – haven’t they learned their lesson?
The WEC would be a far better series for them, up against their rival Toyota, as well as Audi, Porsche, etc It also offers a better technology showcase – rather than the ‘one size fits all’ F1 engine spec.
But WEC (excluding Le Mans) gets around 1% of F1's tv audience. It is a great championship, and has enormous potential. However, it only really works as a marketing platform if you have something really innovative and unique (Toyota Hybrid, Nissan DeltaWing, Audi Diesel and now quattro). Honda could 'own' Hydrogen, linking to the clarityFCX road car, but there are few other unique things to communicate. I see F1 as Honda's destiny again, but as an engine supplier to McLaren.

m0rris

119 posts

149 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Somewhere I read that the F1 and LMP1 engines will be interchangeable once the new regs for both have come in (this may or may not be true, IIRC it was an Autocar article about Ferrari and LMP1). If so I'd suggest that Honda would be reasonably likely to return as an engine supplier for F1 with a view to the joint development of F1 engines for A. N. Other team alongside the development of an "all Honda" LMP car.

I really can't see Honda coming in and wasting that much money again and I suspect that their accountants can't either. However as a limited venture the McLaren Honda winning the WDC/WCC would give them plenty to boast about for a fraction of the cost of a full team effort. (Seeing as McLaren are possibly going to have to look for a new engine supplier and co-operating Honda's potential WEC effort would make the most sense to me).

Edited by m0rris on Thursday 11th October 10:27

robmlufc

5,227 posts

185 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
PW said:
What is the HPD effort if not the definition of "trying" the WEC?

With minimal expense they have 2 LMP1 teams and an LMP2 testing the water.
Yeah true! Still holding out hope we will see a factory effort, do they have the facilities still to build a sports car or would they have to use Wirth?

m0rris said:
Somewhere I read that the F1 and LMP1 engines will be interchangeable once the new regs for both have come in (this may or may not be true, IIRC it was an Autocar article about Ferrari and LMP1). If so I'd suggest that Honda would be reasonably likely to return as an engine supplier for F1 with a view to the joint development of F1 engines for A. N. Other team alongside the development of an "all Honda" LMP car.
That is true.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
There were many rumours of Honda/HPD coming back with a full blown works effort being run by either JRM or Strakka in the WEC and the possibility of a GTE car likely a NSX in 2015. http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120322/MOTORSPOR... (was in Autosport too)/

If they were to come back to F1 maybe they would look at buying Sauber (fully/a stake). It looks like Peter Sauber is stepping back from the team and may be convinced to sell with retirement looking likely.

CocoUK

951 posts

181 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
rlw said:
Watching the silly McLaren cartoon pre last week's Japanese GP, I was struck by the very close resemblance of the two robots featured in it to the fancy Honda robot that was doing the rounds a few years ago. Coincidence or a subtle hint?
That would be the most tedious subtle hint possible!
Nothing more than a recognisable shaped robot.

decadence

502 posts

157 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
Well maybe realising that helping support the best car / team in BTCC just gets you pegged back till the new Civic is getting beaten in straight line speed by 7 year old BMW's last years Civic and a ruddy Chinese Rover, maybe it's a good move...

robmlufc

5,227 posts

185 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
PW said:
I think that was the original intention, but is no longer the case. I think the LMP1 engine rules are a lot more open, and with a much bigger allowance for KERS/Hybrid power.

Anyway - I think that you would struggle to develop a single engine that really excels at 2hrs screaming about at 15K rpm, AND 24hrs of bulletproof fuel sipping, and if you're not going to have an engine that is excellent in either field you might as well not bother.
P1 engines in 2014 are totaly open with a bigger KERS allowance, about twice what they currently have. Le Mans would be a good reliability proving ground for an F1 engine and the low capacity might serve well with the fuel flow restrictions. A stint at LM is about 45 minutes? I'm hoping we see all kids of bonkers engines turn up though. I think a purpose built engine will always fair better, will be interesting to see what Porsche turn up with.