Even the most enthusiastic and positive McLaren supporter would have to tell you that Honda’s return to F1 has so far been a disappointment.
McLaren took the long term view, that being an engine customer of Mercedes was not going to enable them to compete for championships with the German manufacturer.
So McLaren decided to ditch the best power-unit on the grid for a partnership with Japanese manufacturer Honda.
McLaren and Honda had enjoyed a hugely successful spell in the 1980’s and 1990’s, but they haven’t as yet, got near to replicating that success during this new spell together.
Whilst McLaren have insisted that their chassis has remained one of the best in the paddock, the Honda power-unit has struggled for power, struggled for energy recovery and struggled for reliability.
With Honda lacking in every department in comparison to Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari, it’s unsurprising that Honda have attempted a whole new vision for their new 2017 power-unit.
Aided by new regulations and the abolition of the token system, Honda are no longer trying to fix the old power-unit and instead can introduce a brand new engine.
‘The concept is completely different, It’s very high-risk, we don’t know a lot of things about that new concept. Honda chief Yusuke Hasegawa told motorsport.com.
Unfortunately for McLaren it sounds like it could be yet another transitional year for the team, something that is likely to frustrate double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso.
‘We know it will give us a performance advantage but the biggest risk is whether we can realise that potential this year.’
He added: ‘We still have to do some tests and there will be some trial and error. I hope we have understood the direction and the elements to focus on.
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