According to Helmut Marko, while some manufacturers are understood to have clawed back much of the performance loss down to the switch to E10 fuel, the 2022 Honda engine is still down on its predecessor.

Other than the overhaul of the rules relating to aerodynamics this season, there are a number of changes relating to the power units.

From this season teams must use a blend of fossil fuel and 10 percent ethanol (E10), furthermore there is a three-year freeze on development.

The manufacturers initially claimed that the move to the new fuel could cost around 20 bhp but already there are signs that some of the fuel suppliers, most notably Shell, which partners Ferrari, have overcome this.

While Red Bull is to provide its own engines following the withdrawal of Honda, the reality is that this season the Austrian outfit, and sister team AlphaTauri, will use a power unit designed and developed by Honda which will continue to work alongside Red Bull Powertrains in Milton Keynes.

According to Helmut Marko, while Ferrari and Alpine are understood to have clawed back much of the performance loss down to the switch to E10, the 2022 Honda engine is still down on its predecessor.

"Honda is working hard on the adaptation," he tells Auto Motor und Sport. "What I hear is positive, but the performance is not yet the same as in 2021.

"We will generally have to wait to see how it looks in race trim," he adds.

Nonetheless, the Austrian is confident that Red Bull will be able to challenge for both titles this season.

"The declared goal is the world title," he says, "but with such a big rule change, you can never be sure.

"Mercedes and ourselves have the potential, the people and the continuity that points again to a fight at the highest level. Especially since there are no other drivers like Hamilton and Verstappen."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 09/01/2022 23:30

"What rather irks me is that the new PU's will not be introduced for another 4 years? Surely the extended delay is to ensure that those who are in possession of a superior unit still keep that advantage. The new engine will still have a six cyl. ICE but without the MGH unit. In fact this is an engineering simplification which should not take another 4 years to perfect. It is my understanding that both Audi and Porsche already have these prototype units running and I'd be more than a little surprised if Mercedes were not ahead either. Why wait another four years....."

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2. Posted by Spindoctor, 09/01/2022 19:19

"Rumour has it that the current RBR ("Ronda"?) PU will be replaced by something from VAG when the re-revised PUs are introduced. If true, it's clear the Ronda is just a stop-gap. "

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3. Posted by Italian Job, 09/01/2022 13:18

"Did Dr Marko really refer to it as "Honda"? Does this mean that it continues to be called "Honda" and will only be called a "Red Bull" when it exceeds the 2021 unit?? Nothing new here then!"

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4. Posted by LifelessDead, 08/01/2022 16:27

"I as SO fed up with both RedBull and Mercedes always trying to claim the are really the underdog here... "Oh, our car is slower", "They are faster", "blah blah blah", "we are so sad because the rules are against us". As if it makes their (boring) victories from front row any better, with everybody (liberty media) pretending it must be the 2 drivers that are really over a second faster than the rest....... *sigh*
"

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5. Posted by Malemoi, 08/01/2022 13:24

"I'm sure Michael Massi will be as good as 20bhp for Red Bull"

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2022 Honda engine performance down on predecessor

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