Honda Power Unit Hardware & Software

[GhostF1]

Ridiculous? There isn't a single team on the grid that would pay to switch to Honda engines at the moment.

So you truly believe Honda is an engine manufacturer that won't charge it's customers for their engines.. I'm sorry but no, that's insane. McLaren get them free plus cash injection due to Honda essentially being their main sponsor. It's a works deal mate, customers will not have remotely the same perks as McLaren. If they were free, there'd be considerably more interest regardless of their first half performance.
The argument that "they haven't been competitive" does not immediately translate into "oh they're free now" that is not business. That's like saying a McLaren road car customer should get his Honda's or Toyota's free... madness.

Sauber would have gotten them for free. Free doesn't equal works status.

You're right it isn't the bottom line of a works deal but it's definitely a perk of one. You believe they'd be free to any customer, we can agree to disagree, I for one see free engines to everyone as the worst business model in the entire history of motor sport.

[ZakB]

So you truly believe Honda is an engine manufacturer that won't charge it's customers for their engines.. I'm sorry but no, that's insane. McLaren get them free plus cash injection due to Honda essentially being their main sponsor. It's a works deal mate, customers will not have remotely the same perks as McLaren. If they were free, there'd be considerably more interest regardless of their first half performance.
The argument that "they haven't been competitive" does not immediately translate into "oh they're free now" that is not business. That's like saying a McLaren road car customer should get his Honda's or Toyota's free... madness.

Sauber would have gotten them for free. Free doesn't equal works status.

You're right it isn't the bottom line of a works deal but it's definitely a perk of one. You believe they'd be free to any customer, we can agree to disagree, I for one see free engines to everyone as the worst business model in the entire history of motor sport.

Well you must be barking mad to pay for the current Honda engines. Just look at McLaren, they have one of the best chassis out there, but they can't even finish P7/P8 on most tracks. If you put that Honda in the back of the Haas, Williams or Force India, they will be fighting with Sauber. You can say, it will get better, but that's what Honda has been saying in the last three years. Offering free engines is the only way Honda can currently attract potential partners.

[diffuser]

I think the buying of STR is a Plan B. Plan A is McLaren. Plan B is being forced on them from all the McLaren looking for other PU suppliers talk.

[gofast182]

Do we have any confirmation on what spec. engine they will be testing this week? Between Silverstone, Magny Cours, and the Hungaroring, they've logged a good amount of clean and valuable on-track mileage with "spec. 3"; however, since "spec. 3" doesn't represent the end goal, I strongly believe they should take this opportunity to get "spec. 4" on track.

[fellowhoodlums]

It's certainly an opportunity to test stuff from the rig to see if it correlates and works reliably in the car. However, I'm not sure there is anything quite ready yet to test.

Mappings etc yes and I am sure McLaren will have aero parts.

[Andres125sx]

makes no sense to invest more than 300mln$ in McLaren and THEN look for own team

It makes perfect sense to me. As stated some posts above, investments shouldn´t be done all at once, but progresively to be sure you´re investing on the areas wich are really worth/needed.

To me that would be the only logical explanation to provide PUs to STR. Otherwise it´s no sense, as McLaren will never allow Honda to provide PUs to RBR, so providing PUs to STR would only make sense for Honda if they have a long term plan to enter as a full works team. I can´t see any other explanation to provide PUs to STR, as that will surely provide important PU data to RBR wich are and will always be their rivals, and none is willing to provide data to their rivals. The only reason I can see in doing that is if they have a long term plan to buy the team

McLaren clauses with Honda to be their only works team are known, but I guess they can´t stop Honda from buying a team and building their own car

[Joseki]

Honestly I see no point in going for a full works team when the engine department isn't "on it". A logical approach would be to focus on 1 things at the time to do it well, not to do 2 things and waste time and money.

[dren]

Honestly I see no point in going for a full works team when the engine department isn't "on it". A logical approach would be to focus on 1 things at the time to do it well, not to do 2 things and waste time and money.

It's not like TR doesn't already exist with some good engineers. It just needs a bit more cash injection, which Honda could supply.

[ZakB]

makes no sense to invest more than 300mln$ in McLaren and THEN look for own team

It makes perfect sense to me. As stated some posts above, investments shouldn´t be done all at once, but progresively to be sure you´re investing on the areas wich are really worth/needed.

To me that would be the only logical explanation to provide PUs to STR. Otherwise it´s no sense, as McLaren will never allow Honda to provide PUs to RBR, so providing PUs to STR would only make sense for Honda if they have a long term plan to enter as a full works team. I can´t see any other explanation to provide PUs to STR, as that will surely provide important PU data to RBR wich are and will always be their rivals, and none is willing to provide data to their rivals. The only reason I can see in doing that is if they have a long term plan to buy the team

McLaren clauses with Honda to be their only works team are known, but I guess they can´t stop Honda from buying a team and building their own car

McLaren was running Mercedes engines in 2014, that surely helped Honda.

McLaren will stick with Honda, because Mercedes and Ferrari aren't willing to provide McLaren with engines. They also can't have their own team while being contracted to McLaren. Honda wants to succeed with McLaren, they don't want their own team. They can't even get 1 thing right, so why would anyone think it's logical to buy a midfield team that needs years of rebuilding to compete with McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull, and I haven't even started about the location of Toro Rosso.

[godlameroso]

Then there's always mystery China team.

[Sasha]

Don't forget RB and Honda have a good relationship to sports.(helping young athletes)
After being with McLaren,I think Honda sees the partnership like an public abusive marriage with no bright future beyond just give me the " the best engine now","always your fault". TR would be great for getting young drivers in the sport and with free Honda engines,RB can spend more money on car/shop and engineers.Honda and RB can share cost on ads/Twitter to get more people involved in the sport.

They picked Sauber because they would of had more control of the team(until she was fired....owner didn't like that)

Honda first choice is McLaren but McLaren does there own thing just like Honda.

The easiest to work with would be Williams.(but doesn't have the reach as RB has to the public)

[Sayeman]

Don't forget RB and Honda have a good relationship to sports.(helping young athletes)
After being with McLaren,I think Honda sees the partnership like an public abusive marriage with no bright future beyond just give me the " the best engine now","always your fault". TR would be great for getting young drivers in the sport and with free Honda engines,RB can spend more money on car/shop and engineers.Honda and RB can share cost on ads/Twitter to get more people involved in the sport.

They picked Sauber because they would of had more control of the team(until she was fired....owner didn't like that)

Honda first choice is McLaren but McLaren does there own thing just like Honda.

The easiest to work with would be Williams.(but doesn't have the reach as RB has to the public)

From a marketing point of view partnership with Redbull makes far more sense than being with Mclaren. Redbull is a monster in promotion department, they do far more than Mclaren in promoting F1. They also have 2 of the most marketable/popular drivers in Verstappen and Ricciardo. Alonso will be gone in a few years, and Vandoorne doesnt have the same appeal.

Besides Honda and Redbull already has great relationship outside F1, sponsoring them in Motogp, WSBK etc.

Also i recently read that Sauber were having trouble with Mclaren regarding the gearbox deal, so Mclaren might have something to do with the cancellation of the deal.

[ZakB]

McLaren-Honda is magical, Red Bull-Honda isn't.

[ArcticWolfie]

McLaren-Honda is magical, Red Bull-Honda isn't.

What about Honda-Red Bull?

[Sasha]

Don't forget RB and Honda have a good relationship to sports.(helping young athletes)
After being with McLaren,I think Honda sees the partnership like an public abusive marriage with no bright future beyond just give me the " the best engine now","always your fault". TR would be great for getting young drivers in the sport and with free Honda engines,RB can spend more money on car/shop and engineers.Honda and RB can share cost on ads/Twitter to get more people involved in the sport.

They picked Sauber because they would of had more control of the team(until she was fired....owner didn't like that)

Honda first choice is McLaren but McLaren does there own thing just like Honda.

The easiest to work with would be Williams.(but doesn't have the reach as RB has to the public)

From a marketing point of view partnership with Redbull makes far more sense than being with Mclaren. Redbull is a monster in promotion department, they do far more than Mclaren in promoting F1. They also have 2 of the most marketable/popular drivers in Verstappen and Ricciardo. Alonso will be gone in a few years, and Vandoorne doesnt have the same appeal.

Besides Honda and Redbull already has great relationship outside F1, sponsoring them in Motogp, WSBK etc.

Also i recently read that Sauber were having trouble with Mclaren regarding the gearbox deal, so Mclaren might have something to do with the cancellation of the deal.

McLaren gearbox was the final strike to the Sauber deal(McLaren doesn't want to share).