Honda Power Unit Hardware & Software

[GhostF1]

I don't even know what it could be. ICE to MGU-K coupling? Gearbox/diff? I can't believe it's the ICE itself, that has been fine for years and is in general similar to this year. The K itself would be very smooth (hallmark of most electric motors). How it's geared to the crank maybe??

A lot of the onboard noise from some of the cars *is* from the gearbox (normally a high-pitched whine), such as current Red Bull and most of the Red Bull Honda years, as well as McLaren the last few years. Mic placement plays a big part though which isn't always consistent.
In the past they've even used a different style of onboard mic seemingly at random, on different cars throughout the year (located nearer to the exhaust if memory serves).

Yeah absolutely, the gearbox whine is obvious on most cars and is very identifiable. This though, this just sounds like some really rough connection of something somewhere. You're right in that the mic placement might just be unflattering. But this is a coarse noise I have never come across since the hybrid engines have been in use. It just implies something is not running or operating in the most optimal way. But yes could just be the worst mic placement in history lol

[diffuser]

I don't even know what it could be. ICE to MGU-K coupling? Gearbox/diff? I can't believe it's the ICE itself, that has been fine for years and is in general similar to this year. The K itself would be very smooth (hallmark of most electric motors). How it's geared to the crank maybe??

A lot of the onboard noise from some of the cars *is* from the gearbox (normally a high-pitched whine), such as current Red Bull and most of the Red Bull Honda years, as well as McLaren the last few years. Mic placement plays a big part though which isn't always consistent.
In the past they've even used a different style of onboard mic seemingly at random, on different cars throughout the year (located nearer to the exhaust if memory serves).

Yeah absolutely, the gearbox whine is obvious on most cars and is very identifiable. This though, this just sounds like some really rough connection of something somewhere. You're right in that the mic placement might just be unflattering. But this is a coarse noise I have never come across since the hybrid engines have been in use. It just implies something is not running or operating in the most optimal way. But yes could just be the worst mic placement in history lol

I didn't hear it in the race. Was pretty obvious in quali but it sounded like clutch slip or wheel spin to me at the time.

[GhostF1]

A lot of the onboard noise from some of the cars *is* from the gearbox (normally a high-pitched whine), such as current Red Bull and most of the Red Bull Honda years, as well as McLaren the last few years. Mic placement plays a big part though which isn't always consistent.
In the past they've even used a different style of onboard mic seemingly at random, on different cars throughout the year (located nearer to the exhaust if memory serves).

Yeah absolutely, the gearbox whine is obvious on most cars and is very identifiable. This though, this just sounds like some really rough connection of something somewhere. You're right in that the mic placement might just be unflattering. But this is a coarse noise I have never come across since the hybrid engines have been in use. It just implies something is not running or operating in the most optimal way. But yes could just be the worst mic placement in history lol

I didn't hear it in the race. Was pretty obvious in quali but it sounded like clutch slip or wheel spin to me at the time.

I'm realising how hard it is to try and point to a certain sound in a video with just words/not in person haha. The onboard video I linked above while chasing Perez it is very present the entire time.