F1

Honda to return

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 46 total)
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  • #132766
    Alex green
    Participant
    #227964
    Journeyer
    Participant

    A little more detail other than the link would be nice.

    But all I can say: it’s about time. And if there’s one way to ease the pain from 2009, it’s to win a title with McLaren.

    #227965
    BenH
    Participant

    No doubt this is just another in a long list of Benson speculation I would say. Nowadays I tend to ignore everything he says as it is almost always wild conjecture designed to get people to the site.

    #227966
    andae23
    Participant

    I saw the following tweet from Benson on Twitter and I would have been perplexed if I didn’t know Benson’s working policy:
    https://twitter.com/andrewbensonf1/status/308569595210522625
    I doubt it.

    #227967
    Chalky
    Participant

    Reading that link it’s more of a rumour. No one can or wants to confirm or deny it.

    #227968
    GeeMac
    Participant

    It is all pretty speculative stuff at the moment. As @benh mentioned, Benson does have a history of writing these sorts of articles to try and get more people to visit his site.

    Still, from a pure nostalgia point of view it would be fantastic to have McLaren Hondas completing against Williams Renaults again! From a sporting point of view it would be great too because Honda have a great history and certainly have the know-how to produce a good V6-turbo. There is a risk for McLaren though: Honda did leave McLaren High and dry in 1992 and they pulled out at the end of 2008…not exactly the sort of behaviour you would want from a possible long term partner!

    #227969
    bag0
    Participant

    I would love to see a McLaren-Honda with Button. My favourite team, with my favourite car manufacturers engine, with my favourute driver. But seriously, Honda just started their new porject with touring cars, and Im not sure if they want to jump into two swimming pools at the same time. We can always hope, but to state it as a fact, and then writing it is not confirmed yet, is a bit bold.
    Heck, what has not been confirmed yet? The switch, the honda return, the McLaren-Honda link? None.

    So until they have something solid, I will cheer for the Zengo-Honda, with Michelisz at the wheel. (And of course after that too:))

    #227970
    John H
    Participant

    The article in 4 lines (with direct quotes):

    “McLaren are to use Honda engines”
    “…the engine manufacturer has decided to return”

    then…

    “The company has not yet officially confirmed its plans to return.”
    “Honda would become the fourth road-car manufacturer supplying engines in F1″

    Interesting if true, but in summary, an article designed to grab attention at the start, fading into speculation as you read on. One more click on the bbc sport website… success!

    #227971
    JerseyF1
    Participant

    This isn’t the only (or first) report of a potential Mclaren Honda tie-up

    http://www.worldcarfans.com/113030354543/honda-engineers-already-at-mclaren—report

    It certainly sounds like there is some discussion about this. Could Honda start work on an engine for 2014 and then try to benchmark it against the other manufacturers for a later decision for 2015 in time for Mclaren to make a decision on the extension option?

    Given Mclaren’s move into road cars which is in direct competition to Mercedes a switch to another manufacturer who is in a different segment of the market seems sensible too and with Ferrari and Renault unlikely customer options this would tick all of the boxes.

    #227972
    Journeyer
    Participant

    Benson can be pretty horrendous when it comes to editorials, but he’s always been spot-on with scoops. Damon Hill sacked from Williams, Button to McLaren, Schumi to Mercedes, Lewis to Mercedes – he got all of those right on the money. Given that the McLaren-Honda rumor has been around for ages (and actually started to pick up again 2-3 days before Benson published this), I’d say that Benson is right – again.

    I’m not sure what he has to do to get your trust, TBH. ;)

    #227973
    MattB
    Participant

    When McLaren first went to Mercedes, they changed colour to silver to replicate the Silver Arrow. Do you think this could be the much awaited return of the McLaren Orange?

    #227974
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    If Honda makes it back in 2015…. then 2014 is going to be Mercedes´ only shot at a title…. Honda have already produced bullet proof turbo engines using the nsx´s 3.2liter v6…. cut that by half and they´ve got the 1.6 turbo v6 they want….
    It´s really gonna get nasty if Honda gets back into it!! Another epic era of F1 is in the works!!!!

    #227975
    BenH
    Participant

    @Journeyer yes he got those right, but throw enough “stuff” at a wall then you are bound to have something stick. There seems to be an awful lot of other “stories” that are well wide of the mark. Also, the Lewis to Merc story came to light first from EJ, not Benson.

    I really would love it if it was true, but Im not holding my breath over a Benson article. Only a few sources I trust nowadays, so unless I hear it from Ted Kravitz, James Allen or our very own Keith then I wont believe it (or obviously a direct press release).

    #227976
    Antonio Nartea
    Participant

    Whether Benson’s article is pure speculation or not, it doesn’t matter anymore. There’s too much noise around Honda at the moment for nothing to happen. There’s no smoke without a fire, all that sort of thing.

    Personally, I think it’s not a matter of whether Honda will return or not, it’s a matter of when it will happen and if it will happen with McLaren, or an independent works team, or both…

    Think about it. Honda already pretty much have the engine (not per-se but they could sort it out rather quickly compared to the level of development required by Mercedes or Ferrari, par example), there’s talks with McLaren, two free spots on the entry list for 2014, at least two teams that could go up for sale any given moment (Marussia and Force India) and a possible engine shortage (with Renault looking to limit the number of teams they supply and the Mercedes and Ferrari engines being quite expensive). These are all wide-open doors for Honda to enter the sport come 2014 or 2015.

    I truly don’t think they are pondering whether they should come back to F1 or not. I think that decision has already been taken. I think they are trying to find the best option in terms of how and when they will make a comeback. Associating themselves with McLaren is just the most “popular” decision they could make, ergo the one that gets most of the attention from the fans and the media.

    And I completely agree with @catracho504 here, Honda has the know how and the experience to place itself in contention very quickly. And yes, it’s gonna get nasty!

    #227977
    BenH
    Participant

    @tony031r I was always under the assumption that all engines had to cost the same amount to customer teams (I may be wrong on that though, not sure now!)

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