Red Bull and Honda extend power unit support agreement

Ian Parkes
Tuesday 2 August 2022 14:03 - Updated: 14:04

Red Bull has reached a deal with Honda that will see the Japanese manufacturer continue its technical support of the team's powertrains department for the next three years.

Following Honda's withdrawal from F1 at the end of last year, in which it powered Max Verstappen to his first drivers' title, it initially agreed on a one-year support partnership as Red Bull took on the upkeep of the power units.

Honda ended its participation in F1 at the end of 2021 after deciding to plough its resources into meeting its future carbon-neutral goals.

As the ongoing agreement through to the end of 2025 does not involve PU development, the Honda Racing Corporation is able to continue providing its support service from within its current resources.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “Red Bull’s partnership with Honda has been an incredibly successful one and we are pleased that this will continue until the end of the current era of the FIA’s power unit regulations in 2025.”

From 2026, F1 switches to a new power unit, although the regulations are still to be finalised.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko added: “We thank Honda for their positive response to working together.

"We are excited to continue our partnership in F1 until the end of 2025 with the PU supplied by Honda.

"We have had a successful relationship so far, winning the drivers’ championship in 2021 and currently leading the drivers’ and teams’ classifications, with the aim of securing both 2022 titles.”

HRC president Koji Watanabe remarked: “We have agreed to continue supporting Red Bull powertrains in Formula 1 through HRC, following Red Bull’s request to extend our current agreement, which HRC can meet within its existing resources.

"Once again, we aim to use our involvement in the pinnacle of motorsport for the development of technologies and of our workforce.”