Honda’s new adventure has started uphill immediately, outlining a parallelism with the previous campaign alongside McLaren. The Japanese manufacturer hopes to repeat the comeback achieved last decade and to do so, it aims for a synergy with the MotoGP program. Staying in Formula 1, however, will not only depend on sporting success, but also on the direction the regulations take, as Koji Watanabe, president of Honda HRC, explains to FormulaPassion.
Read more Start chaos, Sainz sure: “There are no dangers. But 3-4 positions can be gained”
F1-MotoGP Collaboration
“I think it’s clear that we are not satisfied with how we are doing now”, the president’s comment after recent tests, in which the Honda-powered Aston Martin was held back by numerous technical problems. “We have identified many areas to work hard on before the first race. Ideally, we would have liked to run more during testing and collect more data, but unfortunately we encountered unexpected problems that we are working on”.
Time is running out, however, since from next week it will no longer be possible to modify the power unit, at least until the recognition of the ADUO, the extra development opportunities: “We have to homologate the engine at the end of the month [1° marzo], so the hardware will be frozen. Based on this, we will optimize how we can make the power unit work”. To make up ground, Honda will have to draw on all internal expertise, including that gained in other disciplines: “We are proceeding decisively to establish a collaboration between the Formula 1 and MotoGP programs, the top motorcycle competition. We are evaluating how we can link the two realities to transfer and share expertise between the projects and prosper in their respective championships”.
The relationship with Aston Martin
Honda is the engine manufacturer most in difficulty among those already present in the last regulatory cycle, which however did not present the same challenges as the current one. “We had to develop a combustion engine different from the previous one, but the approach to the thermal part is the same”, says Watanabe. “Now electrification is much more important, how to generate electric power and how to deliver it. The 50 and 50 power split is clearly the main aspect to focus on. Sustainable fuel is a further challenge and is something we had to integrate this year”.
Read more Start chaos, Sainz sure: “There are no dangers. But 3-4 positions can be gained”
The president of Honda HRC assures that the current difficulties are not undermining the partnership with Aston Martin: “We have an excellent relationship with the team and we are structuring a deep collaboration. I must say that I like Lawrence Stroll’s approach and vision. We have previously worked together with Adrian Newey on other successful projects and we love the relationship with him. Also Andy Cowell, who is our main point of contact for the project and for the development of the power unit, is a brilliant figure. On track, our staff is working hand in hand with Aston Martin personnel to lay the foundations for what we would like to become, in the long term, a winning group”.
The future in Formula 1
Honda’s long-term commitment, however, will not be linked exclusively to sporting fortunes. Behind the scenes, the duration of the current regulations and the characteristics that the subsequent ones must have are being discussed. One of the suggestions is the return to naturally aspirated engines, but President Watanabe reiterates that Honda’s priority for the upcoming regulation is another: “It is preferable that it aligns with the future direction of Honda’s automotive technologies, which are electrification and hybrid. Therefore, the power unit must partly have a hybrid system. This is the requirement for Honda to be present in Formula 1”.
