General Honda F1 Topic

[mzso]

Honda indicated recently that their aim is to use only 3 engines per car next season. That surprised me because then I wonder what Franz Tost meant when he said that also next year Toro Rosso likes to be in the Guinea pig role. Maybe chassis development parts or start using the next engine upgrade a few races earlier than Red Bull and then use the previous spec on fridays so they stay within the 3 engines per season too. If introduction of an engine spec difference few races apart per team is even permitted.

I think it's just more of a wishful thinking sort of a PR. They need to improve a fair bit, so I doubt only two updates to their PU would suffice.
(And them bringing an all-powerful and durable PU for their first race next season is even more doubtful.)

[Alexf1]

The engine failure in practice at Abu Dhabi was strange, although that was not the 2019 engine. If we see the first engine change at the Spanish GP I think they'll to for 5 with penalies taken in Italy and US.

[Krischnen]

Honda indicated recently that their aim is to use only 3 engines per car next season. That surprised me because then I wonder what Franz Tost meant when he said that also next year Toro Rosso likes to be in the Guinea pig role. Maybe chassis development parts or start using the next engine upgrade a few races earlier than Red Bull and then use the previous spec on fridays so they stay within the 3 engines per season too. If introduction of an engine spec difference few races apart per team is even permitted.

IIRC Ferrari did this last season, Sauber did receive a new spec before Ferrari used it in their own car.
The rules probably prohibit an engine manufacturer to 'hold back' new specifications from their customer teams. The other way around shouldn't be a problem.

[sn809]

It could be that TR uses more testing engines while RB uses more stable engine.

[Alexf1]

Then we could see different spec engines tested at the pre season test like Toro Rosso did at this years first pre season test.

[gandharva]

It could be that TR uses more testing engines while RB uses more stable engine.

TR will get engine updates one or two races in advance. If they will find themself way behind this could change, but I doubt.

[JordanMugen]

… unfortunately this would be classified as pretty secretive informations and will therefore never reach the public).

All we know is they will put their best foot forward when they get to the Australian GP.

Hopefully Red Bull - Honda can score Honda's first hybrid era podium at the Australian GP, or not too long after. [Then again, some Renault fans expect Renault and McLaren - Renault to take comfortable P3 & P4 WCC and Red Bull - Honda to be lucky to even take P5 WCC, let alone score any podium finishes during the season! We will find out who is right, and who is not right!]

[lio007]

Just had a look in Google maps at the Sakura R&D-Center. Can it be that there is also a wind tunnel? I know it doesn't make much sense, but there is a building that looks very similar to a wind tunnel facility!
https://www.google.com/maps/place/36%C2 ... 39.9948714

[Snorked]

According to the Honda website their wind tunnel / chassis dyno is in Tochigi:

[etusch]

… unfortunately this would be classified as pretty secretive informations and will therefore never reach the public).

All we know is they will put their best foot forward when they get to the Australian GP.

Hopefully Red Bull - Honda can score Honda's first hybrid era podium at the Australian GP, or not too long after. [Then again, some Renault fans expect Renault and McLaren - Renault to take comfortable P3 & P4 WCC and Red Bull - Honda to be lucky to even take P5 WCC, let alone score any podium finishes during the season! We will find out who is right, and who is not right!]

We are trying to keep our expectations low and be realistic but Honda must be legend again with at least one dominant year.
To see them fighting for win from the first race as seeing Toro Rosso very strong will be very good for us

[sn809]

Would be interesting if Kvyat is able to beat Max

[ispano6]

Would be interesting if Kvyat is able to beat Max

I was thinking Kvyat might still have an outside chance of replacing Gasly at RB sometime in the future. Kvyat had some impressive performances (3rd in China) where he seemed to be faster than Ricciardo on some tracks. If the STR14 is anywhere as competitive as the RB15, I expect to see Kvyat right up there with Gasly and maybe closer to Verstappen.

[Wouter]

I was thinking Kvyat might still have an outside chance of replacing Gasly at RB sometime in the future. Kvyat had some impressive performances (3rd in China) where he seemed to be faster than Ricciardo on some tracks. If the STR14 is anywhere as competitive as the RB15, I expect to see Kvyat right up there with Gasly and maybe closer to Verstappen.

I think exactly that way @ispano6. I would have preferred to have seen Kvyat right next to Max Verstappen, but Gasly has more experience with the Honda engine. I still see Kvyat Gasly replaced in the upcoming time, he is a lot better with more racing experience.

[etusch]

I was thinking Kvyat might still have an outside chance of replacing Gasly at RB sometime in the future. Kvyat had some impressive performances (3rd in China) where he seemed to be faster than Ricciardo on some tracks. If the STR14 is anywhere as competitive as the RB15, I expect to see Kvyat right up there with Gasly and maybe closer to Verstappen.

I think exactly that way @ispano6. I would have preferred to have seen Kvyat right next to Max Verstappen, but Gasly has more experience with the Honda engine. I still see Kvyat Gasly replaced in the upcoming time, he is a lot better with more racing experience.

I don't think so. Gasly is a quick driver, maybe quicker than Max too.
But, If it is not because of other things which I don't know, Gasly has a problem for being a professional. He had lost his concentration towards end of the year. He was not fast as before and was making unnecessary talks . If this is what we will see with him every time it is really bad habit.
Gasly's experiance with Honda engine is not brings advantage to him. As we read many times its driverability is very well. So Verstappen and Kvyat will feel confortable with it after a few laps. I think Verstappen has more advantage than Gasly because he knows car well.

[aral]

Come on guys! The new year and you are going off topic immediately. If you want to discuss the RBR drivers, please do so on the RBR team thread.