F1 News
Honda boss admitted he didn't know what to do on podium after first win!
- Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
After Honda's first Formula 1 win in over a decade, technical director Toyoharu Tanabe admitted he didn't know what to during the podium celebrations
Max Verstappen's famous victory at Red Bull Racing's home venue in Austria meant the first Honda win since Jenson Button won with the Japanese works team in 2006, as well as the second Honda win in 27 years.
Tanabe has been a massive part of the uptick in performance and reliability from Honda, as he was appointed as technical director at the end of 2017, formerly leading the technical side of things with Honda's IndyCar team. He was surprised he was selected to go to the podium to receive the trophy on behalf of the team, arriving late to the celebration. Motorsport.com asked about his tardiness, which followed a hilarious response.
"I was surprised when I was told 'you go'," the Japanese said.
"I had no idea what I should do. That's why I got on the podium a little later than the others. You need to stand before the national anthem, I thought, 'I must be there', but I was late.
"This is the first time, of course. [I thought] 'I'm so upset, what should I do?'
"Nobody told me! But it was fantastic. I could see our team members below, also Red Bull, they were very happy, and a lot of fans there too."
Will this win prove to be a one-off, or is it a sign of things to come from Honda and Red Bull Racing?