Tost reacts to Honda news: "Thankful for the hard work from Honda"

Both Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri have strengthened their ties with Honda in a deal that kicks in from the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix weekend. Franz Tost, team boss at AlphaTauri revealed that he was "thankful" for the efforts of the Japanese engine manufacturer.

Honda joined with AlphaTauri one year before starting their partnership with the big brother team. During their time together, AlphaTauri won a Grand Prix with Pierre Gasly. Though they haven't achieved the same success in the 2022 Formula 1 season, the Honda engine is performing very well compared to its rivals. Tost is delighted to have the deal confirmed and speaks about the close relationship they have formed even though Honda themselves stepped away from the project.

“Over the years we have developed an amazing working relationship with Honda and it’s great to be continuing to strengthen this with a variety of activities, including displaying the iconic logo on the car once again, starting from the Japanese Grand Prix. We are very thankful for the hard work from Honda during our time together, allowing us to achieve several podiums as well as Pierre’s race win in Monza, and we hope that this success will continue into the future," he said in the press release.

The press release confirms that the AlphaTauri drivers will join Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at a special HRC THANKS DAY on Sunday, November 27, 2022.

The engine rules and regulations will be changed in 2026. This deal expires before that season and it will be interesting to see over the coming months and years which direction Red Bull opt for. Previously, Porsche were interested in making a deal with Red Bull but that is now off the table.