There are increasing rumours in Europe suggesting that Japanese car manufacturer Honda is poised to make its return to Formula 1 racing in 2015.
Several media, including Autosport, the BBC and Race Car Engineering are writing that insiders revealed that Honda is contemplating a return to F1 as a turbo engine supplier, firstly with McLaren.
Honda is currently busy producing several small turbo powerplants, such as the 1.6L Civic motor and the 2.0L Formula Nippon/GT500 engine.
Honda may even already have a 1.6L, 2014-spec F1 turbo engine running on the test bench in their R&D facility in Japan.
“The rumours are not unfounded but we have not decided anything, we are constantly evaluating the situation,” explained a Honda source to Race Car Engineering.
The name of former Ferrari engine man, Gilles Simon has been linked to the Honda project. Auto123.com has called Simon, but he has yet to return our call. Simon left Craig Pollock's PURE project when the financing of the new engine suddenly failed.
The name of Honda was immediately linked to McLaren. The British team has a contract with Mercedes with options for the team to renew for 2014 and 2015. McLaren are expected to take up only the first of those options.
Additionally, McLaren and Honda enjoyed a very successful partnership in the late ’80s, especially with the 1.5L turbo V6 engine and legendary drivers, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
"We never discuss media rumours about potential partners,” said a McLaren spokesman to Autosport.
Several media, including Autosport, the BBC and Race Car Engineering are writing that insiders revealed that Honda is contemplating a return to F1 as a turbo engine supplier, firstly with McLaren.
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| Ayrton Senna, McLaren-Honda, 1989 (Photo: WRI2) |
Honda is currently busy producing several small turbo powerplants, such as the 1.6L Civic motor and the 2.0L Formula Nippon/GT500 engine.
Honda may even already have a 1.6L, 2014-spec F1 turbo engine running on the test bench in their R&D facility in Japan.
“The rumours are not unfounded but we have not decided anything, we are constantly evaluating the situation,” explained a Honda source to Race Car Engineering.
The name of former Ferrari engine man, Gilles Simon has been linked to the Honda project. Auto123.com has called Simon, but he has yet to return our call. Simon left Craig Pollock's PURE project when the financing of the new engine suddenly failed.
The name of Honda was immediately linked to McLaren. The British team has a contract with Mercedes with options for the team to renew for 2014 and 2015. McLaren are expected to take up only the first of those options.
Additionally, McLaren and Honda enjoyed a very successful partnership in the late ’80s, especially with the 1.5L turbo V6 engine and legendary drivers, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
"We never discuss media rumours about potential partners,” said a McLaren spokesman to Autosport.