FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[EwanM]

Ferrari rule out Honda engine supply

By Jonathan Noble and Simon Strang Monday, January 12th 2009, 12:32 GMT


Ferrari have all but ruled out supplying engines to Honda Racing in 2009, should the Japanese manufacturer find a buyer to save the team.

Honda Racing sporting director Ross Brawn, Ferrari's former technical director, confirmed last week that he had contacted the Italian team to enquire about a supply of customer engines.

But Ferrari's team principal Stefano Domenicali appeared to dismiss the suggestion at the launch of the Scuderia's F60 on Monday: "I can tell you about the chances of giving Honda engines... the likelihood is close to zero."

Brawn said last week that Honda Racing was continuing to prepare their 2009 car for the start of the season while negotiations with potential buyers continue.

"Honda has already said it will not supply us with engines, so that's why I contacted Ferrari," Brawn told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

"We haven't signed anything yet but I really appreciated the support from president Luca di Montezemolo and Stefano Domenicali. It's like being among former schoolmates: they still see me as one of their own."

Honda Racing face a race against time to find a buyer and be ready for the start of the season.

Honda has made it clear that it does not intend to continue supplying engines to the team and Brawn has indicated that he expected it to take six weeks to modify the 2009 car for a new customer engine package.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72738

[McLaren Fan]

That really is disappointing. A lack of a engine, or a decent one at any rate, could put off some potential buyers. It's a bummer that Honda aren't willing to supply the team engines. The car for 2009 is designed around Honda's engine, so even with a Ferrari engine, the car mightn't be able to show its full potential, unless the Honda engineers are really quick on their feet. Just as good, surely Honda could licence the engine out to somebody like Mugen for free?

[cap-dude]

Oh geez, someone just buy the team already. The more they faff around, the harder getting a decent car on the grid for australia will be. If they get a car on the grid at all now. They said they had a dozen offers, if so, take one already.

They can still get engines from Toyota, McLaren or Renault eaisly enough. So its far from bad.

[7UpJordan]

Can't they just use their existing batch of engines used in 2007 and 2008? How many of them do they have left? Engine breakdowns aren't exactly common anymore. If they do get low, just use some 2006 engines albeit limited to 19K revs or use the old Cosworths used in the Williams back in 2006 (and again limited to 19K revs). It's called resourceful thinking, mind you this is Nick Fry we're talking about here.

[hunt]

I am not so sure that Honda team will be in Australia.

I hope that they already have a contract with Ferrari or Bmw and they are working to use it. If they don't have an engine now i think it's impossible that they will modify the rear of the car and get the time to test it before Melbourne.

[bud]

that has to be the last blow, Until the Cosworth spec engines are ready that is! i think a buyer might have to wait until 2010 season to be on the grid, which in a way isnt a bad thing.

[darwin dali]

This year's engines are rev limited to 18k and 'retrofitted' to last 3 race weekends. Plus KERS and all, so old engines are hardly an alternative.
How about Cosworth?

[EwanM]

This year's engines are rev limited to 18k and 'retrofitted' to last 3 race weekends. Plus KERS and all, so old engines are hardly an alternative.
How about Cosworth?

Na think that won't happen. Seems the only way the team will be powered this year is by Flintstone Feet.

[darwin dali]

This year's engines are rev limited to 18k and 'retrofitted' to last 3 race weekends. Plus KERS and all, so old engines are hardly an alternative.
How about Cosworth?

Na think that won't happen. Seems the only way the team will be powered this year is by Flintstone Feet.

How about little hamsters in each wheel with a hissing cat behind as a turbo charger?

[Rivelution]

Crap, now no one is going to buy the team.

[hunt]

I think Honda team would be interesting just because a potential buyer could enter in F1 with a good structure without paying caution. If they don't race in 2009 all the benefit will lose, including the contract with Ross Brawn, the FIA caution and the accrued bonus in 2008.

[EwanM]

All is not lost...





























Mercedes open to Honda engine supply

By Glenn Freeman Tuesday, January 13th 2009, 12:59 GMT


Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has said the marque could supply the former Honda team with engines in 2009, provided any takeover leaves the team on a sound financial footing.

Although Mercedes has already committed to supplying a customer team for the first time, with Force India using its engines in 2009, Haug said that it could be possible to offer a deal to Honda.

"If there is a feasible solution with an investor for that team, we would be prepared to discuss it," Haug told autosport.com. "But the financial background needs to be there.

"You cannot give any presents at this time and in this (financial) climate, but we would like to help for the sake of Formula One. Ross Brawn and Nick Fry and their guys have done a good job so far, so if we could be in a position to help we certainly could try to do so.

"But the financial feasibility is very important. It needs to be 100 per cent bulletproof."

Haug says that a potential extra customer engine deal would not impinge on Mercedes's current operations, despite the challenges of adapting its power plant to last for three races and the introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS).

"This is not ideal timing," said Haug. "We have lots to do with KERS and the new rev limit and so on, which is a really big task.

"You have to do longer runs with the engines to prove they are ready. The guys in Brixworth are working flat out like never before. Even when we changed to V8 there was not as much to do as there is now."

Ferrari this week ruled themselves out as a potential engine supplier for the team despite former Scuderia technical director Ross Brawn, now Honda team principal, having reportedly spoken with the team about a deal.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72755

[Gaz]

Mclaren are a shining light to other teams in this sport helping out when the other teams are unwilling.

even when approched by an ex-employee whome without they may not of won so many championships

[EwanM]

Mclaren are a shining light to other teams in this sport helping out when the other teams are unwilling.

even when approched by an ex-employee whome without they may not of won so many championships

Mclaren aren't really anything to do with this. Unlike the Force India, Honda have their own Gearbox and Kers System developed. This is a Mercedes decision.

[hunt]

Maybe Mercedes want to see the Honda Kers. Seems that Honda worked very hard to develope a decent car.