Red Bull: Honda have exceeded expectations in partnership

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has revealed that Honda have “exceeded” the expectations of the contructor team since they partnered up ahead of the 2019 F1 season.

In 2018, Red Bull’s engines were provided by Renault, while Honda powered McLaren, but both of those deals were terminated after that season.

So far, Red Bull-Honda has been a success, with them collecting two podium positions and one race victory in 2019, with Max Verstappen emerging victorious at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Horner thinks it is going better than was predicted.

“This season was always going to be a transitionary year, with a new engine partner coming on stream and the whole marriage and integration that is involved,” said the Red Bull team principal.

“That has exceeded internal expectations, in terms of by race nine we have a win and we have had a couple of podiums.”

On that occasion at the Red Bull Ring when Verstappen won, Honda management were in attendance, with catalysed emotional scenes from the engineers who had suffered through unsuccessful recent years with McLaren.

“It was a very emotive win for Honda in Austria,” Horner continued.

“Some of their board members were there and they are starting to see, after all those painful years with McLaren, that the investment is paying off.

“Reliability has been strong – we still have all three engines available to use (per driver). They have only introduced new engines based on performance increments.

“We’re pushing for more in the second half of the year, which they have in the pipeline. Now they have tasted success and they see the benefit that success brings. After the difficulty of their reintroduction back into F1, the victory was the tonic they needed.”

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

New Lando Norris racing team posts 13 top job openings in major recruitment drive

• 3 hours ago

Cadillac F1 owner completes huge team sale for big profit as investigation continues

• Yesterday 21:45

Mercedes star makes F1 comeback as Alpine complete massive signing

• Yesterday 20:55

Lewis Hamilton releases statement after Ferrari F1 replacement claims

• Yesterday 19:45

Former F1 team owner sent for trial on forgery charges

• Yesterday 18:45

F1 drivers age: How old are Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen, Antonelli and co in 2026?

• Yesterday 18:15