McLaren admits to customer engine talks for 2018
- Published on 15 Jul 2017 13:49
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- By: Chris Soulsby
A McLaren-Honda break could again be back on the cards as a switch to Mercedes power is looking more and more likely. Following the implementation of a "Spec 3" engine at the Austrian Grand Prix, a divorce looked less likely, however, McLaren's Jonathan Neale disagrees and has said that the situation with Honda's reliability and performance is "not sustainable".
"I think naturally we reach a point of inflection with Honda where we ask ourselves 'Where do we go from here?' 'What do we have to do differently to restore that level of competitiveness?'," said Neale.
In terms of customer engines for 2018, Mercedes seem to be McLaren's preferred choice, although a Renault and Ferrari deal has also been suggested. "In F1, when anybody says they're not talking to anybody, the answer is everybody's talking to everybody," Neale added.
Mercedes currently supply itself as well as Williams and Force India, and if tt wished to supply a fourth, a change in rules would be needed. "You're right," said Neale. "In order for an engine manufacturer to supply more than three teams it does require FIA approval. We are making sure that we maintain our good relationships with FOM and the FIA while we work through a difficult situation."
Chris Soulsby
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Replies (3)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
"A McLaren-Honda break could again be back on the cards as a switch to Mercedes power is looking more and more likely." The McLaren-Honda break never left the building. It has settled in, moved it's furniture to very visible locations, is currently only wearing undies, and is now busy unpacking more of it's Mercedes fan apparel.
Bhurt
Posts: 320
Can anyone pinpoint the exact time and place when sports journalism became largely gossip journalism? As someone who watches the Sky broadcasts quite a bit, they talk very little about the actual sporting side of the sport, and copious amounts of pure gossip and speculation about nonsense.
This McLaren-Honda will they/wont they nonsense is just one example.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Pretty much as soon as it became mainstream media, I bet. It was the same with the video game industry. Nowadays its half gossip and badly concealed or clearly visible ads for some new pachinko machine.