Red Bull-Honda power unit just scratching the surface

F1 News

8 April 2019 at 14:06
2
  • Joseph Tyrrell

Rob Marshall the Chief Engineering Officer at Red Bull Racing believes they are just scratching the surface with the Honda engine despite only being two races into their tenure with the engine manufacturer.

In 2018 Toro Rosso tested the Honda engine for Red Bull ahead of their switch from 12-year supplier, Renault. The new engine has brought mixed results for Red Bull with Max Verstappen finishing third in Australia with Pierre Gasly 11th before the pair finished fourth and eighth respectively in Bahrain.

There were initial worries over the power and reliability of the power unit but Marshall believes the engine has so much potential.

Speaking at a Q and A at ExxonMobil Marshall said: “We see all kinds of areas around the engine that we can focus on in terms of packaging.

“They are not necessarily large pieces, but something of four or five parts that we think could be improved.

“If you already tackle three of them, you will make a big difference.

“They [Honda] listen very well to everyone and we also understand each other when someone says that a certain adjustment poses too great a risk,” he added.