01/10/2014
NEWS STORY
Honda has offered a sneak preview of the F1 power unit with which it returns to F1 in 2015.
Over the course of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, the legendary manufacturer will unveil a film of the power unit under development. The film will subsequently be made public from Monday.
"Working toward Honda's F1 participation starting in the 2015 season, development of the power unit is entering its prime phase at our R&D facility in Sakura, where we transferred our automobile motor sports development earlier this year," says Yasuhisa Arai, Senior Managing Officer of Honda R&D, who is heading the F1 Project.
"In addition to conducting simulations, we have moved onto the next stage where we conduct full-fledged bench tests of the engine while connecting the turbocharger and energy recovery systems.
"In the meantime, our racing operation base in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, has become fully operational. At this time, we are unveiling an image of our power unit that is under development. The whole team is concentrating on this development, getting ready for the forthcoming start of F1 participation in 6 months."
In light of Honda's return to F1 with McLaren, thereby recreating one of the most successful partnerships in F1 history, which between 1988 and 1992 won eight world championships, 44 Grands Prix, 53 pole positions and set 30 fastest laps, the McLaren-Honda MP4/5B, MP4/6 and MP4/7 will be on display at the Japanese manufacturer's stand at Suzuka throughout the weekend.