McLaren Honda back in F1posted in F116 | 05 | 2013
HONDA HAS CONFIRMED it will return to Formula One as an engine supplier to McLaren. The new deal will start in 2015.
The last time Honda competed in F1 was in 2008, when it closed its works team, which eventually morphed into Brawn GP.
Today though it confirmed it will return to the sport with a new 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine for the newly-named McLaren Honda team. Talks have been going on for sometime (Scotcars, March 11 '13), and today's announcement comes as no surprise.
The marriage of McLaren and Honda reignites the successful era of 1988-92 when the Japanese company previously supplied the team with engines: together they won both the drivers' and constructors' championship four times.
Honda, traditionally pioneers in new engine technology, has already made significant progress with design work on its new powerplant.
Working out of its R&D facility in Tochigi, Honda is already at a well-advanced stage of development on its all-new 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 F1 engine.
And under pressure McLaren boss, Martin Whitmarsh, after a miserable opening to the 2013 season, emphasised the new 'lasting partnership' will deliver renewed success.
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"Together Honda and McLaren have a great legacy," Whitmarsh said. "We formed a uniquely successful partnership that took on and beat the world. Together, we created some of the greatest, most iconic Formula 1 moments of all time which are still being talked about today all around the world.
"McLaren and Honda are about to embark on a new and extremely exciting adventure together, so on behalf of everyone at McLaren and also everyone that loves F1, I am delighted to welcome Honda back to sport.
"For everyone that works for the company, the weight of our past achievements lies heavily on our shoulders.
"It's a partnership synonymous with success.
"Together during the 80s and the 90s, McLaren and Honda won 44 grands prix and eight world championships. Together in 1988 we created the most successful F1 car of all time, the all-conquering McLaren-Honda MP4/4 which was driven to victory 15 times out of 16 by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
"Honda has an unrivalled pedigree as a manufacturer of turbocharged engines, making it the perfect engine partner for McLaren as we strive to deliver future success in F1.
"As we look to the future, Honda and McLaren are utterly committed to maintaining that legacy and to being successful once more."
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Jim McGill