McLaren rubbish any engine deals with Honda for 2014 season – Formula 1 news
McLaren have denied recent reports of them looking into an engine partnership deal with Honda over its current supplier Mercedes.
“That's all wide of the mark,” McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale told ESPNF1 during the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in.
“We are wedded to, very happy with and enjoying our partnership with Mercedes-Benz. We're not quite sure how or where that [news] broke from in truth, but I can stop the rumours and say we are entirely focused on the Mercedes-Benz relationship. We've had
a long standing relationship with them, with many wins and championships and long may that continue,” he further added.
Earlier reports came in from a German based sports news agency Auto Motor Und Sport that McLaren’s contract with Mercedes will end at the end of 2012 and from there on McLaren will have to pay for their engine supply. It was also rumoured that the F1 team
is looking to cut a deal with Honda for the year 2014 which will mark the new era of V6 engines for Formula 1 cars.
The Japanese manufacturer had their own Formula 1 team which they pulled out in 2009. Considering Honda did not want to be part of the sport, it was unlikely for them be involved again so soon, although the cost effectiveness of V6 turbo engines for 2014
might lure them back.
Honda and McLaren had a successful partnership through 1988 to 1992 which saw four championships victories.
Although McLaren director Jonathan Neale has denied any such deals and has confirmed that the McLaren-Mercedes relationship is a strong one with a long-term bond in sight.
McLaren and Mercedes joined forces in 1995 with the latter buying shares of the former in 1999, though later they were bought back by the F1 team. Mercedes has been supplying engines to other teams in Formula including their own Formula 1 Mercedes team.
Neale explained that although the focus for Mercedes will to some extent be on their team as well as the other teams in F1 but the talks he has had with Thomas Fuhr at Mercedes-Benz give evidence that both want the same things.
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