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Honda quiet about Red Bull Racing negotiations

  • Published on 20 Apr 2018 12:30
  • 5
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Honda is giving nothing away about the possibility of teaming up with Red Bull in 2019. Red Bull is openly flirting with leaving the Renault camp after this year, and buoyed by the promising early progress of the new Toro Rosso-Honda pairing.

"Toro Rosso is open to new ideas and listen to us attentively," new Honda technical boss Toyoharu Tanabe told France's Auto Hebdo. "We listen to them just as carefully. Together we're working hard to achieve our goal."

However, when asked how the Red Bull talks are proceeding, the Japanese answered: "I'm focused on this season and on the technical partnership with Toro Rosso. As for everything else, decisions are made in the top management of Honda."

What is clear, though, is that Toro Rosso is happy to be the vehicle for Honda to speed up its engine development, notwithstanding the three engine per season rule. "Other teams work with two or three major updates per season," Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost told Speed Week. "We pursue a different philosophy. We want to make the car faster every time we make small improvements." (GMM)

F1 News Scuderia Toro Rosso Red Bull Racing Honda

Replies (5)

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  • calle.itw

    Posts: 8,527

    I think that Tanabe's way of thinking is correct. Now is not the time to discuss their future customers, they need to get their head down and get stuff done.

    • + 0
    • Apr 20 2018 - 12:33
  • Ram Samartha

    Posts: 1,172

    Is this article the epitome of a non-article or what?

    • + 0
    • Apr 20 2018 - 15:17
  • Danimal5981

    Posts: 601

    I somehow feel a Ricciardo-Ferrari deal coming up: Red Bull agrees to part with Ricciardo if they get Ferrari power-units in return. They see Ferrari has caught up with Mercedes and Haas has made quite a leap forward; the Ferrari PU seems like the one to have until 2021.

    • + 0
    • Apr 21 2018 - 23:07
    • calle.itw

      Posts: 8,527

      I could see them wanting Ricciardo, but Ferrari would never supply Red Bull. Red Bull is one of the best chassis designers on the grid, as evidenced by just how much further ahead they are of a works Renault team. Imagine them being powered by a Ferrari unit. They will do anything to deny Red Bull as much as a customer 2018 spec unit for next year. Nay, For Red Bull the choices are between Honda and Renault, and it depends on how patient Renault are and how well the Honda unit progresses.

      • + 0
      • Apr 22 2018 - 10:41
    • ZUKMAN

      Posts: 40

      Ricciardo is free-agent at the end of the season, so he could go anywhere without Redbull approval.

      • + 0
      • Apr 23 2018 - 09:49

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