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Honda boss worried about lack of reliability

Published on 05 Mar 2017 16:44
9
By: Fergal Walsh

Honda boss Yusuke Hasegawa has admitted that he is worried about the manufacturers reliability prospects for the upcoming season. He confirmed that the team still are unaware what caused the engine failure during the test.

"The mechanical issue, I don't know enough yet to be confident about that. Of course I worry about that," he said.

This issue was first of many that caused the team to use five different engines over the four days of testing. Last year, teams were permitted to use five engines over the course of a whole season.

On the second day of testing, a third engine was put in the car, but failed after 29 laps, and engine number four was placed in the car, which allowed Stoffel Vandoorne to complete 40 laps.

Wednesday and Thursday were more comfortable for McLaren, but a fifth engine change found its way in during that time. Asked whether the problems had affected Honda's relationship with McLaren, Hasegawa said that is has.

"In the tests, of course, this is a stage we need to overcome a lot of trouble. So sometimes we need to argue or we need to have constructive discussion, but I think we are doing a very good job and we have a very good relationship."

"We have modified the package so the engine is lighter and the centre of gravity lower," he said. "This gives us a big benefit of the behaviour of the car and we change the internal combustion engine to extract more power."

Fergal Walsh

Vet5

Posts: 225

Its ashame this is happening! If Ron would have allowed Honda to give engines to other teams back in 2015 they would have more testing mileage IMO

1
Mar 6 2017 - 08:28

F1 News Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren Honda

Replies (9)

Bhurt

Posts: 320
Does anyone know how much money they've spent over the past three years building an engine that doesn't work?
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- Mar 5 2017 - 18:23
- bubbazaneti
  
  Posts: 16
  I imagine millions...round figure half billion.
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  Mar 5 2017 - 19:57
Jutlandia

Posts: 191
Honda really need to shape up, or they will no longer be delivering PU's to McLaren or any other team.
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- Mar 5 2017 - 20:15
Vet5

Posts: 225
Its ashame this is happening! If Ron would have allowed Honda to give engines to other teams back in 2015 they would have more testing mileage IMO
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- Mar 6 2017 - 08:28
- TheKameHameHamer
  
  Posts: 3
  It would also be good as we would have more "benchmarking"... for example.. let's suppose this happens this year. If Team X uses honda engine and Mclaren also... but team X instead of mclaren gets better results... then we would come to a point where we would say: "what exactly is going on? If the engine is so bad why team X got a better result then?".... so i think it would be interesting to see other teams using honda engine.
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  Mar 6 2017 - 12:12
boudy

Posts: 1,168
I'll say it first here. I believe a RedBull team will have an Honda powerplant next year. The lack of performance with mcLaren has really hurt both companies.The Honda wasn't solely responsible for the bad performance.
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- Mar 6 2017 - 15:02
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Certainly not, it takes two for a tango like this. Though I doubt Red Bull would switch to Honda, it seems like they are pleased with their Renault PUs now, and if they want to switch Mercedes has a free deal now that Manor is gone.
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  Mar 6 2017 - 17:34
- TheKameHameHamer
  
  Posts: 3
  I am sure nobody would want to be a Mercedes "client".... because this would mean that you do not have what it takes.
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  Mar 7 2017 - 02:36
- Barron
  
  Posts: 625
  I think you're incorrect. McLaren have no chance developing the chassis while the PU works on 75% or less, power output, so though I agree the chassis isn't among the best at the moment, if the PU was there or thereabouts, they would very quickly evolve the whole car into a competitive package...
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  Mar 7 2017 - 13:47