Honda: "When we saw the rear of Max's car we thought: that's it"

After the heavy crash of Max Verstappen during the British Grand Prix it was doubtful if the Honda engine could be saved. Since Red Bull Racing had just installed a new engine the blow would have been even harder to take. The engine manufacturer now thinks that the engine can still be used, but will first try it out in the free practice.

The Red Bull of Verstappen was so badly damaged that the Honda engine was visible, a cause of concern for the engine supplier. If the power unit has to be replaced the Dutchman faces a grid penalty later in the season. "When we saw the back of Max's car we thought: that's it", explains Toyoharu Tanabe at The Race.

According to Honda F1's technical director, however, they were lucky in that area. "When the car came back into the garage I didn't see too big an impact on the power unit itself," he explains. "The impact was very big, but with the angle at which the car hit the wall we were lucky from the perspective of the engine."

A number of parts were replaced, but no FIA seals were broken in the process and so this will not affect any penalties later in the season. So far, Tanabe says the engine looks good, but any damage could still surface. "Until we start the engine and drive in normal conditions, I can't say with one hundred percent certainty. We will know more after the first free practice," the technical director said.