Метка: Miami GP

Ricciardo’s Miami GP sprint F1 result ‘nice to keep a few people quiet’

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The 34-year-old Australian scored his best F1 result since the 2021 Russian Grand Prix for McLaren, gaining a spot from Red Bull’s Sergio Perez at the first corner but then dropping behind him five laps later shortly after a safety car restart.

After losing DRS on Perez, Ricciardo came under incessant pressure from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for the rest of the race but he held the Spaniard at bay for his best finish yet for the RB squad.

“Every big result feels like it’s a needed one,” Ricciardo told Sky Sports F1. “It’s a happy feeling, a powerful feeling. Also to back up qualifying, it was obviously great but to back it up over the course of a sprint race that’s even more satisfying.

“So it feels very good and it’s nice to also keep a few people quiet.”

When asked what’s made the difference to his form – his previous 2024 best being a 12th in Melbourne – eight-time grand prix winner Ricciardo pointed to two factors.

“We changed chassis in China and immediately, honestly, I felt something,” he said. “I felt like more feeling, a bit more confidence in what the car was going to give me.

Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

“It’s not that it was far off, but there was just something missing. Compared to Yuki [Tsunoda, his team-mate] at the start of the year, I could just feel like I wasn’t able to do what he was able to do in most, or a lot of the corners. I knew there was something there.

“I think there really was something with the chassis. Maybe the team still doesn’t think so. But I do. And then we had a floor upgrade here, and I think that’s helped us in the high speed.”

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Speaking on the subject of Sainz’s pressure in the second half of the race, Ricciardo opted against conserving his tyres and risking losing race positions.

“I couldn’t breathe the whole race,” he quipped. “I figured I’ll try my best to keep them behind, and if the tyres go, then they go.

“I was like every lap I could defend, for me, that was like a pat on the back.

“So, I was just like, ‘stop it – let’s just go’. And if my tyres give up, then so be it. And they didn’t.”



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It is not going to happen.

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Antonelli is being evaluated by Mercedes as an option to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton for 2025, dovetailing a Formula 2 campaign at Prema with private testing in the Brackley team’s previous F1 cars.

But in recent days, the 17-year-old Mercedes protege has also been mentioned as an option to replace Williams’ Logan Sargeant this year if the Grove-based squad decides it wants to switch drivers.

That idea ramped up on Friday after it emerged that the FIA had received a request for dispensation, understood to be from Williams, to grant the Italian youngster the required superlicence to compete in F1 before he reaches the minimum age of 18.

Antonelli does not turn 18 until the end of August, fuelling speculation that he was being prepared for an F1 debut before the summer break.

But speaking to Autosport, Wolff has completely ruled out that idea, saying there is no interest from Mercedes in changing its original plans for the youngster.

«The dispensation was something that wasn’t brought up by us and we have certainly stated from the beginning that that was not something we have pursued,» Wolff said.

«I don’t know where this belief comes from that Mercedes was keen on pushing that forward. Kimi needs to concentrate on his F2 campaign and he knows that.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli drives Mercedes W12

Andrea Kimi Antonelli drives Mercedes W12

«Everything else is just rumours, which continue to spin around and that are factually incorrect. He’s an F2 driver for Prema, that is what he’s doing, and this is what we’re all concentrating on.»

Wolff stressed that Mercedes would remain careful not to burn Antonelli by promoting him too early, given his rapid rise through the junior series and his lack of experience.

«Just 15 months ago, he was in an F4 car,» he said. «We have great belief in Kimi, his abilities and also his future.

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«But there is a trajectory which we need to follow with diligence, rather than trying to dream about jumping from series to series in a way that is certainly not beneficial for him.

«I think a champion is not going to be distracted by any of this. But certainly, at least it distracts me because everybody’s asking me: ‘What about Kimi and driving in Imola?

«This is not going to happen. This is not something that Mercedes wants. These rumours have gotten their own spin. Let’s do Formula 2. We as a team have lots of other issues to resolve.»

Wolff made clear that Mercedes had never expressed any interest in fast-tracking Antonelli into F1, and suggested that the dispensation request was something done by a third party.

«I think that this dispensation is probably something that got some traction because more and more people flirted with the idea,» he said. «But it’s certainly nothing that we have ever pushed from our side.»

Wolff said Mercedes was happy with the progress Antonelli is making, comparing favourably to Ferrari’s highly-rated Jeddah debutant Oliver Bearman in F1 so far.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes testing at Imola

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes testing at Imola

Photo by: Davide Cavazza

Last month, he also completed a maiden F1 test with the 2021 Mercedes W12 at the Red Bull Ring, followed by an Imola test in the more recent but trickier-to-drive 2022 W13.

«It’s completely on the trajectory that we expected,» Wolff said about his protege’s progress.

«There are easier days, there are harder days. I think between the two drivers and the team, they need to sort out a few issues, but it’s not unexpected. And the testing goes very well and we are just approaching it calm and collected.

«That is what we have planned before the season, a solid F2 campaign and testing for Mercedes, and we will continue to just do this. Everything else is just a distraction for all of us.

«We are super happy with George [Russell]. He’s going to continue to be a driver in this team. And everything else we see panning out on the driver market.

«It’s not going to happen in the next few weeks or a couple of months.»



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F1 Miami GP sprint race and qualifying

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


F1 has altered its sprint race schedule once again, with sprint race qualifying shifting to Friday and the sprint race moving to Saturday. The race weekend format then reverts back to a traditional schedule for grand prix qualifying on Saturday afternoon with the grand prix on Sunday. Here’s how the latest sprint race format changes will work.

What time does the sprint race start for the F1 Miami Grand Prix?

The sprint race for the Miami GP starts at 12:00pm local time (5:00pm BST), covering a distance of 19 laps or 60 minutes.

Date: Saturday 4 May 2024
Start time: 12:00pm local time – 5:00pm BST

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

What time does qualifying start for the F1 Miami Grand Prix?

Grand prix qualifying for the Miami GP starts at 4:00pm local time (9:00pm BST), using the traditional Q1, Q2 and Q3 knockout session format.

Date: Saturday 4 May 2024
Start time: 4:00pm local time – 9:00pm BST

How can I watch Formula 1?

In the United Kingdom Formula 1 is broadcast live on Sky Sports, except for the British GP which is shown live on both Sky Sports and Channel 4, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.

Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £18 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.99p or a month membership of £34.99p per month.

How can I watch F1 Miami GP sprint race and grand prix qualifying?

In the United Kingdom every F1 practice, qualifying and race is broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with Miami GP sprint race coverage starting at 4:00pm BST on Sky Sports F1, and grand prix qualifying coverage starting at 8:00pm BST on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports F1.

  • Channel: Sky Sports Main Event (grand prix qualifying only) and Sky Sports F1
  • Start time: Sprint Race: 4:00pm BST Saturday 4 May 2024
  • Start time: Qualifying: 8:00pm BST Saturday 4 May 2024

When can I watch the highlights of F1 Miami GP sprint race and grand prix qualifying?

In the United Kingdom, Channel 4 is broadcasting highlights of the sprint race and grand prix qualifying for the Miami GP at 1:15am BST and 8:00am BST on Sunday morning. The full programme will run for 90 minutes, covering both the sprint race and grand prix qualifying and wrapping up the major talking points of the race weekend so far.

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

For the entire 2024 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying and race of each event. The highlights will also be available on Channel 4’s on-demand catch-up services.

  • Channel: Channel 4 
  • Start time: 1:15am BST and 8:00am BST Saturday 4 May 2024

Will F1 Miami GP sprint race and grand prix qualifying be on the radio? 

Live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2024 F1 season will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 5 Live Sports Extra or via the BBC Sport website.

Coverage of the Miami GP sprint race will start at 5:00pm BST on the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sounds app.

Coverage of Miami GP qualifying will start at 9:00pm BST on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds app.

What’s the weather forecast for the sprint race and grand prix qualifying in Miami?

Dry and sunny conditions with a low chance of rain is forecast for all of Saturday in Miami. The temperature is set to reach highs of 28 degrees Celsius at the start of the sprint race and 29 degrees Celsius at the start of grand prix qualifying.

F1 Miami GP sprint race grid



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Alpine’s 2024 F1 car finally hits minimum weight limit

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The Enstone-based team has endured a torrid start to the new campaign as the A524 was initially off the pace and lacking downforce amid its major off-season concept change, running extra bodywork weight to pass a specific crash test and down on engine power compared to the Honda, Mercedes and Ferrari units with the Renault power Alpine uses.

It is one of three teams yet to score – alongside Williams and Sauber.

At the last round in China, Alpine introduced a fast-tracked floor upgrade, which also got the A524 closer to F1’s minimum weight limit, but was still only “nearly there” – per team technical director (performance) Ciaron Pilbeam.

Now, with the floor upgrade applied to Pierre Gasly’s car in Miami after it only ran on Esteban Ocon’s A524 in Shanghai, the team’s additional weight-saving push on new parts means it has finally got back to the weight target.

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin claimed “we were not particularly overweight” at the start of the year with the A524, but confirmed the new weight savings meant in pace-gain terms it added up to “a matter of 0.2s”.

“The fight is so tough now that every gain, every small gain, is good to make and this is what we are doing,” Famin told Autosport in an exclusive interview at the Miami race.

“The weight – people talk a lot about the car being overweight – it was not the major problem of the car.

Alpine A524 detail

Alpine A524 detail

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

“The major problem of the car is that we lacked downforce and we had difficulties to make the tyres work for quali.

“Better to get the minimum weight but it was not the major issue.

“This issue has been solved faster than expected and I’m happy with the direction of the team – pushing hard to do everything faster.

“In Shanghai, we had the new floor, we were supposed to have the new floor only here in Miami, we have been able [to] with the guys at the factory pushing hard to make one for Shanghai.

“It’s a good sign, but it’s a small part of the gap we need to fill. And it will take time.”

When asked to expand on Alpine’s plan to recover back up the F1 pecking order – after it moved to a three-pillared technical department structure in the early stage of the season that is now being headed by new technical director David Sanchez following his surprise early exit from McLaren – Famin said: “Part of the plan is being implemented – because we know that the car was a bit overweight at the start of the season.

“Now, here for the first time and faster than planned and scheduled, we will have the two cars at the minimum weight.

Alpine A524 detail

Alpine A524 detail

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

“We brought two upgrades on the aerodynamic side [this season]. But we know that all of this is only part of the way we need to do.

“Now, with the new organisation in place, with David arriving yesterday, we will move to the next step. For the time being, it’s a bit early to talk about it.”

Speaking in Miami on Thursday, Ocon said the A524’s handling was “clearly better with the weight [loss]”.

“We clearly gained good performance with that,” he added.

“In terms of the rest, obviously, it was a small step towards the right direction. That is very clear, but we know it’s not quite enough yet.

“We’re able to fight with other cars a bit more closely. But we’re still lacking a decent amount of performance in qualifying.

“And that’s still the place that we need to be working on and focusing on with the overall performance of the car.”



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Newey exit «not as dramatic as it seems» for Red Bull F1 team

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Earlier this week it was confirmed that Newey will leave Red Bull after a 19-year stint at the Milton Keynes squad, having made a huge contribution to the team’s two title streaks with Sebastian Vettel and now Verstappen.

The news has been received as a huge blow for Red Bull, especially if it ends up losing Newey to a rival team amid interest from Ferrari.

But while Verstappen praised Newey’s contributions and wished the 65-year-old would have stayed, he said the prospect of Red Bull losing its talismanic design genius is not a major disaster either.

«Of course, Adrian was incredibly important for the success that Red Bull had but over time his role has changed a bit,» Verstappen said.

«I think a lot of people don’t understand what he was actually doing. I don’t say he is not doing anything, but his role has evolved. A lot of good people came into the team, that has strengthened that whole department.

«Of course, I would have preferred him to stay, because you can always rely on his experience. And as a person, he is a great guy to chat to and relate to.

«But I also really trust that the technical team that we have outside of Adrian is very, very strong and they have basically shown that for the last few years with how competitive the car is.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position,

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position,

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

«So, from the outside, it looks very dramatic, but if you actually know what is happening inside the team, it’s not as dramatic as it seems.»

Verstappen said there was no point in personally trying to convince Newey to stay and doesn’t begrudge him a new challenge.

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«I don’t need to convince anyone, because at the end of the day, if someone really wants to leave, they should leave,» he added.

«That’s also what I wrote to him. If you think that is the right decision for yourself and your family, or you seek a different challenge, or whatever, you have to do it.

«At the end of the day, F1 is a shark tank, everyone thinks about themselves at the end of the day. I know that, I’m not stupid. So that’s fine.»

«I cannot deny that I would have preferred him to stay just for how he is as a person, his knowledge and with what he will bring potentially to another team if he wants to join.

«Besides that, I trust that the people that we have, they’re incredibly good at what they do.»



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McLaren can catch Red Bull in next 12 months if it maintains F1 gains

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


McLaren has enjoyed something of a renaissance under Stella’s leadership following a difficult start to the 2023 season, scoring just 14 points in the opening five rounds. Heavy revisions to last year’s MCL60 chassis, which came to life during the Austrian GP weekend, ensured that the team returned to challenging for poles and podium finishes.

This rate of development continued and, building on that for 2024, McLaren has consolidated its position in the upper half of the field — and has scored 96 points in the same frame of reference, 82 more than last year.

Stella explained that the focus was on maintaining that rate of development and, if it does so, he believes the Woking squad can realistically battle against Red Bull for honours in 2025.

«I think overall, if we take the 12-month period, we have developed more than anybody else. I think Red Bull did not develop very much last year. Clearly, they were working quite a lot in the background because they innovated the car dramatically,» Stella reflected.

«To innovate the car like they did — it takes months of redesign. They were doing all this work, and then when they came with a new car, it was a big step.

«So even if we lost some ground, I think we lost some ground because we gained so much ground before and while they were not developing.

«That’s why I think we need to look at things over the long period. Over the long period, we are in a strong trajectory. For me, this is also what we say internally: if we keep this trajectory of development for the next 12 months, then why not? We may reach Red Bull.»

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

McLaren will introduce a series of updates at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, although Stella concedes that they will not be as wide-ranging as some of the packages introduced last season.

Regardless, he believes that these will present a «decent step» per the team’s current simulation, assuming the team’s current correlation with the real world remains strong.

«We’re going to have some upgrades in Miami, let’s see how they perform. Then, like for everyone, there’s a lot of people at the factory that are all focused on generating developments and it’s always a battle of development.

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«That’s the real job in Formula 1, just constantly improve cars. That’s what we have to do.

«This upgrade will not be as big as the two that we had delivered last year in Austria and Singapore. But it should be a decent step, it should be noticeable. If things correlate with our expectation, with the wind tunnel numbers, for instance, and with the computer simulation.

«It’s always a big if. Because even if the hit rate of this correlation has been good over the last 12 months, there’s always possible surprises.»



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RB reveals “chameleon” F1 Miami GP livery

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For the Miami event the Anglo-Italian team has repainted large parts of its VCARB01 car in what it has called a chameleon livery, akin to the similarly named prepaid debit card issued by one of its two title partners Cash App.

The team has retained its blue and silver engine cover and its red and white wings, but has changed the rest of the car, with its one-off livery running from the nose through the sidepods and towards the rear wing endplates.

The result is a rainbow-like mishmash of colours – including teal, pink, orange, and yellow – as the recently rebranded team aims to stand out from the midfield crowd.

“Visa Cash App’s Chameleon Livery is the perfect colour scheme for our first race in the US,” said RB CEO Peter Bayer.

“Since the team’s Las Vegas launch in February, we’ve taken some big steps forward, and we’re bringing fans on an exciting new journey.

“That desire to progress and connect is shared with Visa and Cash App, who are bringing people together in the sport through experiences that are unlike anything else out there.

“This incredible livery and the events surrounding its launch here in Miami demonstrate their commitment to the team and F1, and we can’t wait to see the Chameleon VCARB01 in action this weekend.”

RB F1 Team VCARB 01 livery

RB F1 Team VCARB 01 livery

The livery, which will be used by Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda this weekend, was revealed at a launch event in Miami’s Wynwood district, which is renowned for its street art, the first of several off-circuit activations that Bayer promised would set the team apart from its previous guises.

The squad and its partners are trying to attract a younger audience, with the livery swap not coincidentally taking place in the home market of both Visa and Cash App.

“One of the main discussions we had with our partners was that we are aiming at that whole new, younger audience, which we are reaching through social media,” Bayer said earlier this year.

“It’s about racing, obviously, and we want to be very serious and focus on the racing, but at the same time we want this team to be valuable, to have some entertainment.

“We want to democratise the sport through partnerships by inviting fans who cannot come to the race track because maybe it’s not affordable or it’s sold out, to add events in the city centre with big music acts.

“It’s that combination of on-track performance combined with off-track entertainment and that Red Bull spirit, which is what we want to give to the fans.”



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US Congress members demand answers from Liberty over Andretti F1 block

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In January, grand prix racing’s commercial rights holder, Formula One Management, rejected the America squad’s bid to join the F1 grid next season, despite the championship’s regulator, the FIA, approving its technical capabilities last October.

A statement from FOM read: “Our assessment process has established that the presence of an 11th team would not, on its own, provide value to the championship. The most significant way in which a new entrant would bring value is by being competitive. We do not believe that the applicant would be a competitive participant.”

It furthermore added that it felt having an extra team on the grid would put unnecessary financial strain on current race promoters.

The Andretti Global team’s patriarch, 1978 F1 world champion Mario Andretti, visited Capitol Hill earlier this week, and met with Republican John James – who is one of the 12 bi-partisan signatories to the letter – to discuss the potential for anti-competition potential of FOM’s decision.

The role of U.S. Congress members is to represent people of their districts, as well as develop and vote on legislation. In the letter, which is addressed to Liberty boss Greg Maffei, the Congress members “write to express our concerns with apparent anti-competitive actions that could prevent two American companies, Andretti Global and General Motors (GM), from producing and competing in Formula 1.”

It goes on to allege that FOM’s rejection of the application “appears to be driven by the current line-up of European Formula 1 race teams, many of which are affiliated with foreign automobile manufacturers that directly compete with American automotive companies like GM. It is unfair and wrong to attempt to block American companies from joining Formula 1, which could also violate American antitrust laws.

General Motors announcement

General Motors announcement

Photo by: General Motors

“Participation of all Formula 1 teams including any American teams should be based on merit and not just limited to protecting the current line-up of race teams. This is especially true considering Formula 1’s growing presence in the United States, including three Grand Prix motoring [sic] racing events in Miami, Florida; Austin, Texas; and Las Vegas, Nevada.”

What answers are US Congress members demanding from F1?

The 12 members of Congress have requested Liberty’s responses to the following questions by 3 May:

1. “Under what authority does FOM proceed to reject admission of Andretti Global? What is the rationale for FOM’s rejection, especially with respect to Andretti Global and its partner GM, potentially being the first American-owned and America-built race team?
2. “The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 outlaws unreasonable restraints on market competition to produce the best outcome for the American consumer. How does FOM’s denial of Andretti Global and GM, American-owned companies, square with Sherman Act requirements, since the decision will benefit incumbent European racing teams and their foreign automobile manufacturing affiliates?
3. “We understand that GM intends to re-introduce its Cadillac brand into the European market, which would support thousands of good-paying American automotive jobs, especially with Formula 1’s worldwide audience and its halo effect on its teams and sponsors. How much did GM’s and Andretti’s entrance into racing competition taking a portion of the racing market share and GM’s entry into the European market taking market share each play into the decision to deny admission to the Andretti Global team, given the public outcry of incumbent Formula 1 teams against a new American competitor?”

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They sign off the letter stating: “We continue to exercise oversight on this matter, and with the appropriate Federal regulators, to ensure that any potential violations of U.S. anticompetition law are expeditiously investigated and pursued.”

Autosport has reached out to F1 seeking comment on the letter.



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Honda 2026 F1 project going «according to plan» with electrical power initial focus

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The Japanese marque has spent the past six seasons as Red Bull’s powertrain partner and has achieved success through Max Verstappen’s trio of drivers’ titles, but has renewed its efforts for 2026 as Aston Martin becomes its works team.

With its knowledge of developing V6 internal combustion engines for the current rules, Honda has instead elected to pin its primary efforts on nailing down the electrical infrastructure. This changes to a near 50-50 split in ICE and electrical power underpinned by a 350kW MGU-K, while the turbo-mounted MGU-H has been omitted from the new ruleset. 

This differs from Red Bull’s approach with its own in-house powertrain project, which is now in partnership with Ford as it splits from Honda at the end of 2025; Red Bull has started out by developing an all-new ICE from scratch.

«So far everything is going according to plan. Of course, we cannot go into too much detail, but everything is in line with our own expectations,» explained HRC president Koji Watanabe in an exclusive interview with Autosport.

«We are initially focusing on the electrical side of the engine, so our focus now is mainly on the electric engine parts and on the battery.

«This work is completely in line with our own objectives. In parallel, we are of course developing the internal combustion engine, but at this stage, it is not yet a V6. It is now a single cylinder.

«So far everything is going according to plan. Of course, we cannot go into too much detail, but everything is in line with our own expectations.»

Koji Watanabe, Honda Racing CEO

Koji Watanabe, Honda Racing CEO

Photo by: Motorsport.com / Japan

Although Honda officially left F1 as a full-factory power unit supplier at the end of 2021, it has retained its partnership with Red Bull through its racing division HRC and the continued build of its current power unit following a freeze to the regulations.

Watanabe explained that many of Honda’s staff moved to other projects following the post-2021 partial exit, necessitating a series of new hires to bolster its new 2026 project. 

HRC has also registered a new company in the UK, with the intent of servicing and preparing the new 2026-spec powertrains for Aston Martin, although a location is yet to be determined. The United States-based HRC USA (formerly Honda Performance Developments), which heads up the brand’s IndyCar engine project and Acura’s IMSA efforts, will also become involved.

«When we announced that we would stop our F1 activities, most of the engineers left the F1 department. All important engineers have moved to other projects, including Honda Mobility,» said Watanabe.

«As a result, we have had to fill all these positions again, although it is not entirely the same people. Some people are still the same, but it was a little more difficult for other positions and needs at least a little time.»

«We have registered the [HRC UK] company, but have not decided on the exact location yet. We registered mainly because we want to hire staff in the United Kingdom. 

«Those things take time because you sometimes have to deal with a period of gardening leave. That is why we want to start hiring staff in England this summer and have already registered ourselves.»



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