It had been rumoured for some time and earlier in the week;
reports suggested it would be a Thursday announced. That day arrived and
predictions were correct as it was announced that Honda would return to Formula
1 in 2015 as the official engine supplier for McLaren.
The Japanese manufacturer has not been active in the sport
since 2008. After two unsuccessful years they decided to pull the plug on the
operation, handing ownership over to 2009 champions Brawn GP in a last minute
deal. Now their former Brackley base houses the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team.
Whilst their time with Mercedes has produced success, with
three drivers world championships and one constructors, nothing quite measures
the triumphant joint-venture of the 1980’s and early 90’s.
Honda previously powered the Woking
bases squad to eight world championships, 44 Grand Prix victories and 53 pole
positions during their 80 race relationship. More recently they powered the BAR
team in 2000 before buying out the team in 2006.
The news means that McLaren will use Mercedes new 1.6 litre
V6 Turbo for just one season before switching to Honda, who are already
developing their 2015 engine and ERS system (in basics, a more powerful version of KERS).
Discussing the announcement in a press release, McLaren Team
Principal Martin Whitmarsh said “It’s fantastic news for everyone who loves
Formula 1 to be able to welcome Honda back to Formula 1. Together, we’re about
to embark on a new and extremely exciting chapter in McLaren’s history.”
He added “Like McLaren, Honda is a company with motor racing
woven into the fabric of its heritage. We’re proud and thrilled to be joining
forces once more.” However Whitmarsh knows that they have a lot of work to do.
“Both companies are fully aware that we’re embarking on a very demanding
journey together,” but they are “hugely committed” to the “success of the
partnership” and the team will spend the next 18 months before the engines
debut “working together to ensure that we’re fully established and competitive
ahead of our first grand prix together in 2015.
(c) Vodafone McLaren Mercedes |
The Brit also mentioned Mercedes and said that it is
important to maintain the “utmost respect” for them and to continue to work
“diligently and professionally” for the remaining 18 months of their
relationship.
Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of
Honda Motor Co. Ltd said on the announcement that he has the greatest “respect
the FIA” for making the rule changes, adding “The new F1 regulations with their
significant environmental focus will inspire even greater development of our
own advanced technologies and this is central to our participation in F1.”
Continuing, Ito said “Together
with McLaren, one of the most distinguished F1 constructors, Honda will mark a
new beginning in our challenges in F1.”
Jenson Button, McLaren’s lead
driver in 2013, previously raced for Honda when they were a Formula 1 team. He
commented on the news, saying that he has had a “long and successful”
relationship with the firm already. He “equally” grew up watching the
McLaren-Honda era in the late 80’s and early 90’s which still “evokes vivid
memories of some of the most dramatic and exciting motor racing the world has
ever seen.”
He later said “McLaren-Honda: I
know how much passion, success and pride are encapsulated within just those two
words. And that’s why I’m so thrilled and excited about what’s not only a
fantastic opportunity for the team, but also a great development for Formula 1
fans and the sport as a whole.”
Despite being born in 1990, two
years before Honda and McLaren first parted ways, new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
driver Sergio Perez has “grown up always knowing just how much that era lives
on in the hearts and minds of motorsport fans around the world.”
Adding on the development, he
admitted that “Honda is one of the greatest ever engine manufacturers,” before
continuing to describe their excellence. “But I’d go farther than that” he
said, “I believe McLaren-Honda is one of the greatest partnerships in world
sport.” Perez added “Everyone in the whole of Formula 1 respects that legacy”
and that he knows how determined both sides of the partnership are to “create
an era of world championship domination in Formula 1 for a second time.”
So big changes are afoot at
McLaren, Vodafone will depart as their title sponsor at the end of 2013 and 12
months later they will wave goodbye to Mercedes after a hugely successful 20
years.
However they will embark on a very
exciting second stint with Honda. Despite the Japanese firm being behind on
development in comparison to the rest, they have plenty of time to perfect
their 2015 engine and will be determined to see the successful partnership
return to the forefront once again.
1 comment:
Finally some good news from the Woking House!
Although I'm kind of worried if Honda would like to set their own pilot into the team... for now, it woud mean that JB is in and Checo is out of McLaren.
Checo's got what's left of this season, and 2014 to prove he deserves the seat in the new McLaren-Honda
Post a Comment