Valvoline saying, "Am I a joke to you?"
This regulation ICE were supposed to be easier to do.
If Honda dont deliver by 2027 ; I dont see they will exist in F1.Jambier wrote: ↑24 Sep 2026, 18:56This regulation ICE were supposed to be easier to do.
So Honda will at some point do something on par with other, but it might be for 29…
But then they should focus on the 2030 engine earlier this time.
They were late both in 2015 and 2026.
So maybe push for 2027 and 2028 and then focus on 2030.
They wont.NAPI10 wrote: ↑24 Sep 2026, 20:44If Honda dont deliver by 2027 ; I dont see they will exist in F1.Jambier wrote: ↑24 Sep 2026, 18:56This regulation ICE were supposed to be easier to do.
So Honda will at some point do something on par with other, but it might be for 29…
But then they should focus on the 2030 engine earlier this time.
They were late both in 2015 and 2026.
So maybe push for 2027 and 2028 and then focus on 2030.
For 2029. I guess they could be near the top PU. Though it might become the last year of the regulations.
Quite an exaggeration. That's a ghost factory. And they were only good 20 years ago.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-b ... /10826438/Binotto believes that closing the gap as early as 2027 is unrealistic, making 2028 a far more credible target regardless of how the regulations evolve. And it is not just a matter of pure power, but also of drivability, two elements that must operate in perfect harmony.
“In our way to 2030, I think the next true step will be in 2028, because to make, as you said, victories, podiums, good results, you need as well a great car. It's not only about the infrastructure, the process of the team size. You need a great car. And if we are measuring our gaps to the top competitors today, maybe the biggest gap is more from the power unit performance, power unit controls and drivability, where we believe there is a significant step which is required to close the gap.
“And when it's about the power unit, the time is always longer. The lead time of developing an engine is longer than the aerodynamics. So that's why I'm saying maybe the next significant step cannot be a short step because we will need to change the hardware of the engine. So, to improve our current one to be a better engine or as good as the competitors' engines, we believe that that cannot be possible by 2027, but to reach the right level by 2028."
Agreed.AR3-GP wrote: ↑24 Sep 2026, 22:34You have to be realistic about the PU. Binotto said Audi will not close the gap until 2028. Audi are in a better place than Honda right now. Honda would realistically only be at the level of 2018 next year. One can understand why Fernando Alonso is taking his time about his future.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-b ... /10826438/Binotto believes that closing the gap as early as 2027 is unrealistic, making 2028 a far more credible target regardless of how the regulations evolve. And it is not just a matter of pure power, but also of drivability, two elements that must operate in perfect harmony.
“In our way to 2030, I think the next true step will be in 2028, because to make, as you said, victories, podiums, good results, you need as well a great car. It's not only about the infrastructure, the process of the team size. You need a great car. And if we are measuring our gaps to the top competitors today, maybe the biggest gap is more from the power unit performance, power unit controls and drivability, where we believe there is a significant step which is required to close the gap.
“And when it's about the power unit, the time is always longer. The lead time of developing an engine is longer than the aerodynamics. So that's why I'm saying maybe the next significant step cannot be a short step because we will need to change the hardware of the engine. So, to improve our current one to be a better engine or as good as the competitors' engines, we believe that that cannot be possible by 2027, but to reach the right level by 2028."
IMHO, you need a 3 year freeze to prep for new regs. So I wouldn't bet on new regs before they drop the freeze. Once they drop the freeze, the you know for certain when the new regs are coming.Jambier wrote: ↑24 Sep 2026, 22:40Agreed.AR3-GP wrote: ↑24 Sep 2026, 22:34You have to be realistic about the PU. Binotto said Audi will not close the gap until 2028. Audi are in a better place than Honda right now. Honda would realistically only be at the level of 2018 next year. One can understand why Fernando Alonso is taking his time about his future.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-b ... /10826438/Binotto believes that closing the gap as early as 2027 is unrealistic, making 2028 a far more credible target regardless of how the regulations evolve. And it is not just a matter of pure power, but also of drivability, two elements that must operate in perfect harmony.
“In our way to 2030, I think the next true step will be in 2028, because to make, as you said, victories, podiums, good results, you need as well a great car. It's not only about the infrastructure, the process of the team size. You need a great car. And if we are measuring our gaps to the top competitors today, maybe the biggest gap is more from the power unit performance, power unit controls and drivability, where we believe there is a significant step which is required to close the gap.
“And when it's about the power unit, the time is always longer. The lead time of developing an engine is longer than the aerodynamics. So that's why I'm saying maybe the next significant step cannot be a short step because we will need to change the hardware of the engine. So, to improve our current one to be a better engine or as good as the competitors' engines, we believe that that cannot be possible by 2027, but to reach the right level by 2028."
- No one will catch Mercedes engine on those regulation. Good thing is, there are only 3 years more with it.
- Best scenario for Honda is to have an engine that is not so ridiculous / not obviously so, for instance the Audi is not good enough indeed, but it is not so visible
I hope not, I hope it is before.Jambier wrote: ↑24 Sep 2026, 18:56This regulation ICE were supposed to be easier to do.
So Honda will at some point do something on par with other, but it might be for 29…
But then they should focus on the 2030 engine earlier this time.
They were late both in 2015 and 2026.
So maybe push for 2027 and 2028 and then focus on 2030.
its really hard to know what to expect from them. the update they brought didnt do much, but did they mess up this iteration so bad that they wont be able to make any meaningful upgrades until they bring a completely different PU? unfortunately we only have 2015 to boost any confidence we may have had.Otromundo wrote: ↑25 Sep 2026, 01:10The situation at Honda is starting to look worrying.
It turns out that several friends of mine with deep ties to motorcycle racing (now retired, though some were once closely involved in the technical side of top MotoGP teams) are forming a sort of "retired bikers' tribe" in a small village near the Alcañiz circuit. They’ve invited me to join the group and even offered me a free plot of land to build a house. It’s a very tempting offer.
I plan to visit them next week; it will be a short trip initially, though I’ll return in October for a longer stay.
Honda’s results (in both MotoGP and WSBK) haven't exactly been stellar for quite some time now.
Before MM93 left the Repsol-Honda team due to the lack of results, we had a meeting where the topic of fuel temperature came up. The information surprised me greatly; they spoke of extremely low temperatures and the problems that caused. It’s a matter I’ve been turning over in my mind lately.
I’ll see if I can uncover something credible and well-founded that might explain, at least in part, the current situation. Because the whole thing is truly intriguing.