Disappointment within Honda is great: 'Everyone is very sad'

Honda has announced the departure from Formula 1 and although this was already known to the people in the management, this week was annoying for the people within Honda, Toyoharu Tanabe says.

Disappointment at Honda

Honda will leave Formula 1 at the end of 2021, leaving Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri without an engine supplier. Honda will focus on other projects, but will complete the collaboration with Red Bull until 2021. Tanabe focuses mainly on this period.

‘’Last Friday, Honda announced that we would be ending our Formula 1 programme at the end of the 2021 season. Everyone involved in Honda’s F1 project is very sad that our time in the sport is coming to an end. We have enjoyed excellent partnerships with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri and I am proud of what we have achieved with both teams so far in terms of wins and podium finishes’’, says Tanabe in the preview of Honda.

First time at the Nürburgring

‘’For the moment, our work continues exactly as before and we will be doing our utmost to secure more wins and good results with both teams. We have also assured the FIA and Formula 1 of our intention to fully meet our responsibilities, not just towards our two teams but also to the sport in general, all the way through to the end of the 2021 season.’’

For now, however, Honda needs to turn the knob and focus on the Eifel Grand Prix. ‘’The forecast certainly indicates that this will be the coldest race of the year so far. Formula 1 has not raced at the ‘Ring since 2013, therefore this will be the first time for the hybrid power units. We have prepared thoroughly in terms of simulation work, however, it will be important to make the most of our time in Friday free practice to generate real data to help us set up the PUs as well as possible for the rest of the weekend’’, concludes Tanabe.