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Honda re-entered Formula 1 as McLaren’s factory partner in 2015, a year after the start of the turbo hybrid era, but the collaboration with the Wokingians did not yield a laurel.
After 3 unsuccessful seasons, the hundreds of millions of dollars contract was severely terminated, and from 2018 Toro Rosso became the engine supplier of the Japanese brand, and from 2019 it also supplied the resources to Red Bull, with whom He has already won 5 races, the most recent by Italian Pierre Gasly. with his victory.
However, the coronavirus epidemic and the accompanying economic recession have put the Japanese brand in a difficult position, unable to continue with its Formula 1 project.
The decision puts you in a very difficult position Red Bull It also has Formula One teams that need to find a new motorcycle partner for the new era of F1, starting in 2022.
Honda Motorsport CEO Masashi Yamamoto on the grid with Red Bull engineers
Photo by Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Last year, Honda had to change its original plans to stay in the sport until the end of 2020. Its stay was extended just 1 year, until the end of 2021.
Honda emphasized that the huge investment in engine development must pay off in return.
“We have started to calculate how much it would cost to continue the project in the event of rule changes,” Masashi Yamamoto, head of Honda’s F1 division, told Motorsport.com last year.
“The current situation is not good for any automaker, as electric cars are gaining more and more space to protect the environment. We summed up the numbers and discussed the situation behind closed doors ”.
Alex Albon, Red Bull Racing RB16, Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT01
Photo by Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
When asked if the decision to cut costs was made, Yamamoto replied, “Cutting costs is by far the most important part of the decision.”
“In the future, Honda will need to reallocate its resources within the company, mainly from the research and development division,” Honda said in a statement. “There will be a greater emphasis on manufacturing the engines and technology of the future than on fuel cell vehicles and batteries. These will be the foundation for carbon-free technology. “
“For us, victory comes first. If we go somewhere, we want to win there. “
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