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Honda's motorsport director Yasuhisa Arai discussed current progress of their new V6 turbo hybrid engine that will power the 2015 McLaren Formula 1 car.
“We are absolutely within our development plan. Our engine is ready for a whole system check, but without the chassis. It will still need more time to bring the power unit and chassis together and then be able to run checks with the complete car,” said Arai on Formula1.com.
When will the new McLaren-Honda F1 car be taken to the track for the first time?
“In the next couple of weeks we will run simulations and at the beginning of next year we will start to run on the track - very likely at Jerez. That will very likely be the first time to show the whole car, the Honda engine and the McLaren chassis. Right now there are no plans to collect data during the rest of 2014. Jerez will be the first time,” Arai added.
Arai confirmed that Honda's return in F1 was greatly motivated by the new engine rule.
“Yes, it definitely was one reason for Honda to come back into Formula 1, but there was also the fact that the lap times compared to the old engines are very similar, and that means that we are talking about a technology that is very advanced. You can match the speed of the old engines, but with much smarter - and resource-saving - technology,” Arai explained.
The Japanese is also convinced the new Honda engine will be able to match the mighty Mercedes power unit.
"I have confidence that we will match Mercedes. I also think that the two other engine suppliers will recover next season - I strongly believe that. And we will be there too. I can imagine that Mercedes found the perfect balance between their chassis and their power unit and that the others didn't find that balance. So we work together with McLaren as one team - because this is the only way to go,” Arai explained.
On a final note, Yasuhisa Arai confirmed that McLaren will be Honda's factory team in 2015.
“In 2015 we don't have the plan to supply any team other than McLaren. In 2016 or after, if some teams or partners ask us to supply them too, we will take a look at that situation. But even in 2016 McLaren will be our main partner in F1,” he said.
“We are absolutely within our development plan. Our engine is ready for a whole system check, but without the chassis. It will still need more time to bring the power unit and chassis together and then be able to run checks with the complete car,” said Arai on Formula1.com.
When will the new McLaren-Honda F1 car be taken to the track for the first time?
“In the next couple of weeks we will run simulations and at the beginning of next year we will start to run on the track - very likely at Jerez. That will very likely be the first time to show the whole car, the Honda engine and the McLaren chassis. Right now there are no plans to collect data during the rest of 2014. Jerez will be the first time,” Arai added.
Arai confirmed that Honda's return in F1 was greatly motivated by the new engine rule.
“Yes, it definitely was one reason for Honda to come back into Formula 1, but there was also the fact that the lap times compared to the old engines are very similar, and that means that we are talking about a technology that is very advanced. You can match the speed of the old engines, but with much smarter - and resource-saving - technology,” Arai explained.
The Japanese is also convinced the new Honda engine will be able to match the mighty Mercedes power unit.
"I have confidence that we will match Mercedes. I also think that the two other engine suppliers will recover next season - I strongly believe that. And we will be there too. I can imagine that Mercedes found the perfect balance between their chassis and their power unit and that the others didn't find that balance. So we work together with McLaren as one team - because this is the only way to go,” Arai explained.
On a final note, Yasuhisa Arai confirmed that McLaren will be Honda's factory team in 2015.
“In 2015 we don't have the plan to supply any team other than McLaren. In 2016 or after, if some teams or partners ask us to supply them too, we will take a look at that situation. But even in 2016 McLaren will be our main partner in F1,” he said.