Honda heads into final race: 'Determined to help Verstappen'

Title race in Abu Dhabi

For Honda it is a special weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit. Not only can a title be won in both the drivers' and manufacturers' field, but it is also the last weekend for the Japanese manufacturer in F1. That project will end after this season, although a large part of the team will be taken over by Red Bull, just like the engine.

''The track is now slightly shorter with a group of 90 degree corners replaced by one high speed banked turn at the end of the back straight. Other corners have also been made quicker and there is no chicane now before the hairpin that leads onto the back straight. The idea is to create more overtaking opportunities and one other result of this is that it will have an effect on our PU energy management'', says Toyoharu Tanabe in the Honda press release.

''Over the weekend, we will maximise PU performance using data from past races and our simulation for the new layout, as well as the track data we acquire from Friday practice.''

Final weekend for Honda

For Honda, it is also the end of an era, as Abu Dhabi will be the last race in Formula 1(for now). '' Needless to say, this is also the last race of this Honda F1 project, our last time racing with Scuderia AlphaTauri and Red Bull Racing who have both been incredible partners and great to work with.''

''In addition we will be fighting hard for the championships, with Max and Lewis equal on points. We will keep pushing to the very end. We have put up a really strong fight so far and had some great battles in this year’s races. All Honda staff involved in this project are absolutely determined to win and in order to do this we will be pushing as hard as we can,'' Tanabe concludes.