Verstappen: Honda development looks "very promising"
Source: Red Bull Content Pool
F1 News
- Jake Williams-Smith
Max Verstappen says that the data he has seen relating to Honda's power unit development looks "very promising". Red Bull will be making the switch from Renault to Honda power units for 2019 and the Dutchman believes that the signs are looking good so far.
Currently Honda only supply Toro Rosso engines after the fabled reunion with McLaren finally ended after years of turmoil but this season has seen a remarkable development from previous years for the Japanese brand.
"I think it's very promising," Verstappen told the official Formula One website. "At the end of the day, Red Bull took the decision on the move to Honda power and of course now they start to work more and more closer together.
"But it's also difficult to say because of the car, to see the real performance in the engine in the wing levels and stuff.
"For sure, we are targeting to be at least at the same level as where we are now at the beginning of the season, in terms of competitiveness.
"And from there onwards, we just have to develop faster and push more. But at the moment I could say a lot of lovely stories but I don't know how it's going to pan out."
Pierre Gasly's fourth placed finish in Bahrain a sign earlier in the season that the Honda power unit can work well and showed early signs of significant improvements compared to past years for Honda.
Whether the new partnership with Red Bull will get them back to winning races more regularly will remain to be seen until next year.