F1 News
Honda "not too far" behind Mercedes and Ferrari with power levels
Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
Red Bull Racing driver Pierre Gasly has been impressed by the power levels of the Honda power unit this season compared to last, as the Frenchman is convinced the Japanese manufacturer isn't "too far" behind the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes.
It's been a rocky start to life at Red Bull for the 23-year-old Gasly after getting the promotion from Toro Rosso this season, although his performance has seen an impressive uptick in recent races.
Gasly has been driving with a Honda-powered car for a longer time, with Toro Rosso last season in the Super Formula before that.
In terms of engine power, it is still believed Ferrari have the strongest engine in a straight line, and that is what Gasly compares Honda too as he analyses the difference in performance. How far are Honda behind?
"Not too far," Gasly told Autosport.
"At the moment, Ferrari clearly stands out in terms of straight-line speed. The one we need to target, Mercedes, is sort of more or less in the middle."
Still, the Frenchman is happy with the way Honda have progressed since partnering up with Toro Rosso last season - not just in terms of performance.
"Performance-wise, we have quite a lot more than we had last year. Reliability, things run pretty smoothly since the beginning of the season for us - so honestly, everything is improved.
"For sure, there's still quite a step especially compared to Ferrari that are clearly the fastest down the straight, but we know [Honda] keep pushing and more performance will come from the engine."
