Honda chief warns of Brazilian Grand Prix downpour as action plan made

Honda trackside general manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara has said that the Japanese manufacturer is preparing their power unit for heavy rainfall at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

F1 heads to the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, also referred to as Interlagos, this weekend, and it comes just days after a nightmare outing for Honda in Mexico.

Both Aston Martin drivers were forced to retire by lap seven of the Mexican Grand Prix, with Honda's power unit the culprit in both instances on what was another frustrating weekend for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Brazil offers a chance to put things right, with Aston Martin desperately trying to score points in the hope they can surpass Williams for P9 in the constructors' championship over the last four races.

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Honda preparing for big downpour in Brazil

Speaking ahead of this weekend's race in Sao Paulo, Orihara says he is not expecting the same issues that blighted Honda in Mexico to be a problem this time around, though he does state it is still a high-altitude track.

"Interlagos is another high-altitude track. It's not as severe as Mexico City, but it's still a consideration for the power unit," he said.

Honda are also preparing for a big downpour in Sao Paulo, with Orihara warning: "We need to be ready for the potential heavy rain.

"In wet conditions, the energy management side becomes a key area to adapt to the grid conditions. It's then about balancing the harvesting and turbo lag."

It certainly would not be the first time rain has played havoc in Sao Paulo, with several F1 sessions having to be delayed or rescheduled over the years.

Brazilian GP weather forecast

Currently, it looks as though Honda are wise to be prepared.

The forecast for the weekend shows a threat of rain throughout, with a 55 per cent chance of rainfall during the day on Friday, when the cars hit the track for FP1 and FP2.

The situation does not improve for FP3 and qualifying on Saturday, with the chance of rain forecast to be 65 per cent at that stage of the weekend.

F1 teams may even have to get the intermediate or wet tyres out for the grand prix itself, with a 56 per cent chance of rain on race day.

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Written by

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson - F1 Editor

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