Honda says it is in stronger shape for the 2020 F1 season and is ready to support Max Verstappen’s bid to win the world championship with Red Bull.
For the first time since 2017, the Japanese manufacturer is heading into a new championship with no change in its engine supply deals. Red Bull and AlphaTauri will continue to use Honda’s power units this year.“It gives us huge stability in terms of our team management,” said Honda F1’s managing director Mashashi Yamamoto. “Everybody looked very, very positive in the garage during testing and quite confident, so we’re really looking forward to the season.
“Basically we have kept the same structure internally this year because we just want to focus fully on the development.”
Yamamoto wants the team to start 2020 more strongly than last season, when it scored just two podiums in the opening eight races. “Aside from Melbourne the first half of last year was really tough,” he said, “we struggled until Austria. Especially in Monaco, we had high expectations there but we couldn’t really get a good result, so this year we hope it will not be like that.”
“Max says he wants to get on the podium at all the races, which is an aim we must support.”
The improvements the team made during 2019 will help this, said Yamamoto. “From my point of view it’s all about management. The structure is really efficient and there are many things we have learned from our first year with Red Bull, such as how to put personnel into suitable positions and what is the most efficient way to operate.”
Red Bull won three races last year, though motorsport consultant Helmut Marko had set a target for five wins. Yamamoto said Honda has “no real specific targets” for the season ahead but expects to be stronger in the races where it scored its best results in 2019.
[smr2020test]”Last year Helmut kept saying five wins [was the target] and my view was probably four wins,” said Yamamoto. ” In the end we had three wins, but there were a couple of races where we missed out such as Mexico, and the other one was probably Monza, so we could have won more.
“As Honda we have to make sure that we provide everything for Max and Alex [Albon] as well for them to be able to race and maximise each potential result. Then we will be able to see how many we can win.
“Last year we had 11 podiums – nine for Red Bull and two for Toro Rosso – so my view is there are 11 circuits where the Red Bull teams have some sort of an advantage. We have to see how many we can win among those 11, because those are the ones where we have opportunities.”
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2020 F1 season
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MEGATRON M12 (@megatron)
10th March 2020, 7:49
Verstappen will crash and I will laugh. 10 collisions caused in 2019, and that was his “clean” year.
GtisBetter (@)
10th March 2020, 8:18
That sounds very childish. Why wouldn’t you prefer on track fighting?
JI
10th March 2020, 9:23
because he is scared to death Hamilton will be beaten by Verstappen?
MEGATRON M12 (@megatron)
10th March 2020, 10:10
I love on track fighting and racing, but crashing is not racing. It is sickening that Verstappen, like vettel before him, constantly crashes into competitors, but is never penalized.
MCBosch (@mcbosch)
10th March 2020, 10:24
unlike Hamilton vs Massa in 2011…
nickthegreek (@nickthegreek)
10th March 2020, 10:36
dude, that was like 4 or 5 times in one year throughout a 13 year career. Verstappen does this each year …
MEGATRON M12 (@megatron)
10th March 2020, 10:54
Care to list them out?
melanos
11th March 2020, 20:59
Monaco
Silverstone
Singapore
Japan
India
D@m@7@ (@domo70)
10th March 2020, 16:51
+1 … well Said
mpm
10th March 2020, 17:46
with a name like “megatron” I would tend to agree with you.
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
10th March 2020, 8:26
@megatron
IF the RBR Honda package is good enough to fight with Merc for the championship, it will be very interesting to see how Verstappen holds up mentally, indeed.
He plays the cool and confident part very well in interviews. However, it’s usually more accurate to judge people on their actions rather than their words and I think it is fair to say he can be a bit contact-prone and hot-headed behind the wheel.
Oconomo
10th March 2020, 8:43
@jeffreyj
“it’s usually more accurate to judge people on their actions”
3 Years in a row voted 2nd best driver on the grid by the teambosses….
21 Consecutive top 5 finishes (or higher) in the fifth fastest car on the grid…….
Able to beat 2 faster (and illegal) Ferrari’s……..
Not punting anyone of the podium in 2019………..
But hey, you and Megadork are really on to something, aren’t you guys?
JI
10th March 2020, 9:23
amen
RB13
10th March 2020, 12:38
Congratulations. You null and voided your own comment.
Here’s your trophy: 🤡
ColdFly (@)
10th March 2020, 15:43
RB13, even I got the math of ‘fifth fastest car’.
Must be my day as I also spilt my coffee when reading ‘Megadork’ ;)
melanos
11th March 2020, 23:57
If two Mercs and two Ferraris are faster, this makes Max’s RBR the fifth fastest car. Come on, the math is not so hard, even RB13 might get it.
Matn
10th March 2020, 18:48
Not 3, but rated 4 times 2nd best driver on the grid… + 4th at age 17 in his rookie season
As for Magnetron, there will always be people who blame their least favorite driver by default… some blame Ericsson as well, but that was rather desperate as well
Robbie (@robbie)
10th March 2020, 9:38
@jeffreyj The ‘contact prone’ and the ‘hot-headed’ monikers haven’t applied to Max since Monaco 2018, in spite of Megatron’s and only Megatron’s desperate rhetoric. Let’s give Max a WCC car and see how hot headed and contact prone he would have to be as he leaves everyone in his dust. As it is he is highly impressive to those without a childish bias against him, in a car that he has had to push and take chances with. Let’s see how he does in a better car. I think we already know the answer and he’ll give it to us on the track. It certainly won’t come from a wayward poster’s nonsense.
MEGATRON M12 (@megatron)
10th March 2020, 10:06
Crashed into SAI in Bahrain
Crashed into BOT in Monaco
Crashed into HAM in Monaco
Crashed into LEC in Austria
Touched LEC at Silverstone
Crashed into Kimi in Spa, TWICE!
Crashed into someone at Monza T1
Crashed into HAM in Mexico
Crashed into BOT in Mexico
Crashed into MAG in Mexico
Yeah, keep lying to yourself. He is a crasher.
Oconomo
10th March 2020, 11:31
(@megatron
Passes SAI in Bahrain with a superb move, suprising Sainz so much he crashes his car.
Blind Bottas refuses to lift and hits Verstappen in Monaco.
Slightly touched wheels with Ham in Monaco.
Pass of the year on LEC in Austria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Touched??? LEC at Silverstone
40 Year old and WDC Kimi crashes into Max, TWICE!!!!!!!!!!
Slightly touched someone at Monza T1……
Hamilton loses the rear on the white line and bumps into Verstappen!!!!!!
Blind Bottas refuses to yield and tears Max tire to pieces.
Slightly touches MAG in Mexico.
Yeah, keep lying to yourself…..you DON’T like racing at all kiddo.
Let’s see what the profi’s gotta say:
“Since that breakout year, he has become a more complete driver with every race. Seven more victories have been added, often in a car which has been third-fastest, and now – entering his sixth season at the age of just 22 – Verstappen represents a scary prospect for his rivals.
Never before has a driver been this good, this young, and this experienced.”
Or
“Verstappen has also added, dare we say it, Hamilton-esque consistency to his sublime speed and fearless overtaking in recent years”.
Tell us: What F1 activities are on your resumé?
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
10th March 2020, 19:47
@robbie
I only said it would be interesting to see how he does if he gets a better car…. you basically said the same, and I quote your own comment:
You think he will and I think he very well could, but I’m less sure than you are. Ultimately we both don’t know and I’m just saying that history would suggest a ‘wait and let’s see’ approach. That’s all.
Robbie (@robbie)
10th March 2020, 20:16
@jeffreyj For sure. Fair comment. It’s always a race at a time anyway, so it’s going to be really exciting to see first of all where the cars stand amongst each other. Can’t wait.
Madjaya (@madjaya)
11th March 2020, 11:42
Hold my beer mate. Leclerc on his third year in F1 would finish ahead of Max this year. Because Max less calculated at giving a go for any maneuver.
MEGATRON M12 (@megatron)
10th March 2020, 10:12
If the car is faster than Verstappen will just crash at a higher velocity. He has even found a way to crash while leading. Soon he will learn to crash under safety car conditions or after the race like Vettel has, because he’s clearly a fast learner.
Pinak Ghosh (@pinakghosh)
10th March 2020, 9:35
I wonder what you did in 2011 @megatron ?
GechiChan (@gechichan)
10th March 2020, 10:02
Max had 10 collisions in 2019? Maybe in sim racing…
MEGATRON M12 (@megatron)
10th March 2020, 10:07
Crashed into SAI in Bahrain
Crashed into BOT in Monaco
Crashed into HAM in Monaco
Crashed into LEC in Austria
Touched LEC at Silverstone
Crashed into Kimi in Spa, TWICE!
Crashed into someone at Monza T1
Crashed into HAM in Mexico
Crashed into BOT in Mexico
Crashed into MAG in Mexico
Count them
Robbie (@robbie)
10th March 2020, 10:21
Ah yes the proverbial list again, lol. By your own admission these alleged crashes into people were not penalty worthy, so he was just racing, and you should then really be taking issue with the stewards and FIA if you think he has gotten away with so much that it sickens you. I recommend a fairer sport for you. This one has you all tied up in a knot. Sorry but you’re going to have to endure Max for a long time, or, switch sports for the good of your blood pressure.
MEGATRON M12 (@megatron)
10th March 2020, 10:49
At the rate that he crashes, I might not have to watch him for long, unfortunately. Was he penalized for taking Sainz or Raikkonen out of races last year? Can’t remember. I rather watch racing, and not a demolition derby.
erikje
10th March 2020, 11:12
After his 9 wins this season you will eat your fantasy.
BTW, 10 crashes into other drivers last season, enlightening me
Oconomo
10th March 2020, 11:33
@Megatron M12
“At the rate that he crashes, I might not have to watch him for long” (Hmmm, haven’t we heard that before……)
Yeah, yeah, and the earth is flat, right?
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
10th March 2020, 15:36
Max is, probably, the most favoured driver in f1 history.
Ups, that’s carlsberg not heineken..
He has always been ridiculously quick though. He was putting pit stop between himself and sainz jr (hulk did that too) and a lap on Gasly, sometimes he left Daniel .4 away! Unheard in modern f1.
Balue (@balue)
10th March 2020, 16:10
Stop feeding the troll!
Robbie (@robbie)
10th March 2020, 9:22
Should be very interesting and exciting. It feels like LH is going to walk this one again as strong as the car seemed in testing, but RBR looks legitimately solid, and Ferrari seems to be lagging by observation and by their own admission. If the WCC standing is now Merc, RBR, then Ferrari now, then I think (I know) Max can deal with VB and he’ll only have LH to chase down. Yeah I can see Max getting many more podiums this year even if the Mercs are as dominant as ever.
OOliver
10th March 2020, 9:44
For Honda to openly say this, then they must be very confident in their package, which is a good thing because they are often very conservative in their press release.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
10th March 2020, 10:15
I honestly wish them the best. I do hope for a Red Bull-Honda world title win.
GeeMac (@geemac)
10th March 2020, 10:19
Except that both of Toro Rosso’s podiums came at races which were won by Red Bull…so it is really only 9 circuits.
Robbie (@robbie)
10th March 2020, 10:33
True, well spotted. Max won in Germany and Kvyat got a third and Max won in Brazil where Gasly got a second. Hopefully Yamamoto‘s math isn’t off when it comes to Honda hp and reliability;) Also hopefully they are stronger at more than just their ‘traditional’ strong tracks of late.
Only Facts!
10th March 2020, 11:55
Podiums yes, world title a stretch. Out of reach IMO.
RedBull would need Bottas to reload 2.0 update, Merc PU to fail a couple of times, and Leclerc to steal some wins.
Plus Albon to play ball and Hamilton loosing his cool as he did in 2016.
Too much to ask. But one never knows….
Robbie (@robbie)
10th March 2020, 13:35
Only Facts! I think VB has shown he will only be a minimal threat unless the Merc is ultra-dominant. I would think that Leclerc/Vettel may not have the car to steal wins and those will go to Max. Merc Pu fail a few times? Could happen. Albon to play ball? I’m sure he will. Hamilton lose his cool like 2016? Can’t think of a reason he would unless he and Max are pretty even and there’s genuine pressure on him (LH).
Like you said, one never knows, not that I am optimistic Max will have the car yet to compete for the big prize, but he certainly will extract everything and more that his car will have for him.
Only Facts!
10th March 2020, 16:31
Really, really looking forward to a two way driver’s title fight. Between different teams, I mean.. It’s been what? A decade?
Alonso gave Vettel a run for his money a couple of years at Ferrari, but I think that was all.
Robbie (@robbie)
10th March 2020, 20:21
Only Facts! Good stuff. How many sleeps? Just a couple before day 1 of the season. Fully agree a two way title fight between LH and Max would be awesome. Here’s hoping that’s how it plays out.
Jere (@jerejj)
10th March 2020, 14:18
”but there were a couple of races where we missed out such as Mexico, and the other one was probably Monza, so we could have won more.”
– Mexico maybe, but Monza, I doubt, even if there hadn’t been any tactical grid-penalties taken.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
10th March 2020, 22:23
Yes, more like hungary, it’s not like red bull played it wrong, but on such a track they should’ve had the pace to win, it’s more mercedes played the right gamble, and had red bull had a capable number 2 driver, like ricciardo or albon, they’d have won cause hamilton couldn’t have gone for that.
anon
10th March 2020, 16:06
Ferrari will be a non factor this year. They might only compete in half the races. If that. Car isn’t strong already. I think they’ll quit development and start focusing on 2021 once the horror that’s going on in northern Italy subsides.
I think podiums are realistic for Verstappen if Ferrari isn’t a factor. Wins will be a step too far given Mercedes looks stronger than ever.
This 2014-2020 era can’t end soon enough.
Balue (@balue)
10th March 2020, 16:14
The signals from Red Bull and Honda are unmistakable, so it should definitely be better than last season. I dearly would love to have a proper fight again but we all know it will only be for the occasional races, especially as it will be Verstappen alone against Mercedes.
Robbie (@robbie)
10th March 2020, 16:28
@balue yeah good comment and thought. I’m hoping that in spite of Mercedes’ great pre-season (on paper) that RBR, who also had a great pre-season on paper, has gained more than Mercedes has in the off-season, and that it will therefore be more than the occasional time they’re fighting for wins. I think Albon is going to be respectable this season having been able to start the season off with the team instead of jumping in post-break. Perhaps AA can deal with VB while Max and LH duke it out, assuming Ferrari are a little less in the mix, at least initially.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
10th March 2020, 22:25
Yes, that would be a reasonable expectation, given equally matched cars, unfortunately I’m always pessimist on mercedes’ chances to NOT make the strongest car by far, hopefully it’s the right year.
MikeyB
10th March 2020, 16:41
I really don’t like max. Not even slightly. But he doesn’t race hard and he’s ridiculously quick.
I’m a LH fan and I hope to see him equal the 7 WDC championships and set a new record of wins.
But… Max, as arrogant and as big headed as he is will no doubt have his shot at these records too.
Now I understand the Hamilton bashing. Because I feel the same way about Max.
And that’s not because I think max isn’t better. But because I believe max is on the same level as Lewis.
If RB are on it every weekend then Max definitely has a shot at the title. But in equal Machinery, I still think Lewis is more complete and would win out in the end.
That amount of poles/wins even in a car not capable of winning (2009 for example) speaks for itself.
Yeah yeah. Mercedes have been other worldly dominant but all the best drivers have had that. It’s old news now. All of us REAL F1 fans know that!
Name one driver that’s won multiple championships in a car that hasn’t dominated the season?
Nico insane he was lucky to win against Lewis and that’s obviously why he retired
GRO MAG
10th March 2020, 16:42
max only beat Albon 5-4!!! Albon was a rookie that switched cars halfway through the year.
So either Albon is the greatest driver in the history of the world, or max is wildly overrated and his inconsistency (mostly due to bumping into stuff) will keep him from ever earning WDC
mikeyB
10th March 2020, 18:31
sorry, I made a lot of mistakes in that post. New phone and all that jazz
I really don’t like Max. Not even slightly. But he does race hard and he’s ridiculously quick.
I’m a LH fan and I hope to see him equal the 7 WDC championships and set a new record of wins.
But… Max, as arrogant and as big headed as he is will no doubt have his shot at these records too.
Now I understand the Hamilton bashing. Because I feel the same way about Max. And that’s not because I think max isn’t better. But because I believe max is on the same level as Lewis.
If RB (not RBR anymore btw as people keep referring to them as) are on it every weekend then Max definitely has a shot at the title. But in equal machinery, I still think Lewis is more complete and would win out in the end.
That amount of poles/wins in total, even in a car not capable of winning (2009 for example) speaks for itself.
Yeah yeah. Mercedes have been other worldly dominant but all of the best drivers have had that and deserved that. You don’t get into a top team without being a top driver. The same as you don’t become a managing director without experience and a good track record. It’s old news now. All of us REAL F1 fans know that!
Name one driver that’s won multiple championships in a car that hasn’t dominated the season?
Nico was lucky to win against Lewis and that’s obviously why he retired. But he did win and I take nothing away from his championship winning year. All drivers have years where it doesn’t go their way due to retirements and technical failures etc. Monaco was a bit of a dirty moment in everyone’s minds but that situation wasn’t judged wrong by the stewards and we need to live with that.
IMO, I would like to see Nico in that Ferrari with LEC just to see how good Nico is. But joe he’s been out for two years, it’s possible we wouldn’t see his true form.
Going back to max… everyone knows he’s the future and benchmark. But he needs to sort himself out. His attitude sucks and his aggression is too much.
I want to like this guy but his arrogance is intolerable!
NS Biker (@rekibsn)
11th March 2020, 1:44
There must be something in the air these days. Possibly a virus. Will call it “Novel F1-20”.
Seems quite contagious, very fast acting, usually results in an immune system response in milliseconds.
Evident by some spouting off at the mouth with acerbic emissions and undoubtedly coughing behind the scenes.
If the on-track actions in the coming races even comes close to the gnashing (crashing?) here, gonna be an interesting season.
FIA may need to implement the Marquis de Queensbury Rules. Kimi would probably clean house.
TheRedBaron (@theredbaron)
11th March 2020, 22:33
I am leaving racefans. So many people so negative about Max. Can’t believe my eyes reading these posts. Max and Hamilton man. Please give them equal cars and we will have a great season.
Goodbye and good luck.