07/10/2016
NEWS STORY
Honda has effectively been given an extra engine development token.
The move follows the latest upgrade which saw the Japanese manufacturer spend two of its remaining three tokens.
The latest upgrade, which Fernando Alonso will race this weekend after testing last Friday at Sepang, sees a lighter exhaust and revised engine block.
However, on consideration, prompted, it is understood by Honda, the FIA deemed the change to the engine block to be a reliability issue as opposed to performance. Consequently, the Japanese manufacturer has effectively been refunded a token leaving it with 2.
"We had applied to the FIA for two tokens, one for the engine block and one for lightweight exhaust," said a spokesperson for Honda, according to Motorsport.com.
"The FIA has come back to us in Malaysia that the engine block is related to reliability, therefore it was not necessary for us to submit token use."
With Ferrari having used all its allowance, Mercedes still has 6 tokens and Renault 18.
Check out our Friday gallery from Suzuka, here.