Gasly: Verstappen will adapt quickly to Honda engine

Pierre Gasly believes that Max Verstappen won't take long to get used to the Honda power unit. Red Bull will be making the switch from Renault to Honda power next season after the tumultuous relationship between the team and power unit supplier finally reached breaking point this season.

Gasly, who has been running the Honda engine with Toro Rosso this season, believes that his future teammate will acclimatise quickly to the new engine.

 “In terms of driving, I think Max (Verstappen) will be used to Honda after five, maximum six, laps," Gasly told F1’s Tom Clarkson.

“The feeling. The response that you feel inside the car. The driveability. All these things. When you are as good as he is in Formula One you do not need much time to that feeling.

“It is more about the way that I have learnt to communicate and work with Honda. It is a different culture.

“The Japanese culture is very different to the culture in Europe. The way that they work is slightly different and you need to get used to this. This will be a clear advantage for me.

“But inside the car, I do not expect him to take more than five or six laps to get used to it.”

Red Bull will be hoping that Honda continues their development rate, with their new power unit set to be turned up to full attack at the US Grand Prix after playing it safe on home soil at Suzuka.

The update is said to be worth up to half a second a lap, an update that could push Red Bull into the fight with Ferrari and Mercedes on some circuits.