Honda honest about its own performance: 'We are not the number one'

With the success that Red Bull Racing is currently enjoying, the question of whether Honda would be best advised to leave the sport after this year also arises. The Japanese engine supplier is sticking to its guns and will most likely leave F1. Toyoharu Tanabe emphasised this again in the press conference on Friday.

The Honda chief responded to questions from journalists, including those from Formel1.de and said that the decision will not be reversed. The focus will be entirely on this season. According to several stories Honda has found a little bit of performance in the engine, namely 15 hp, but Tanabe denies that.

"I would be very happy if that is true, but it is not. The current improvements are the result of hard work". Tanabe explains that due to the tight regulations they can't make any major improvements so they are mainly working out the details now.

It is clear that Honda is going all out in their final year. According to Mercedes, it is even so that Honda now has the fastest engine and that they have to chase after it. According to Tanabe, the situation is different. "We are not number 1", Tanabe concludes.