News: Honda F1 power unit - Back to basics

Honda reveals the engine that will be fitted into the McLaren F1 cars of 2015 in a simulator video. By Jerrica Leong

While the McLaren team has yet to make a decision on their driver line-up, their engine partners of 2015, Honda, are proud to introduce the new engine that would be powering the team. Yes, McLaren will be using a Honda engine rather than a Mercedes engine next year, the Tifosi is excited to find out how the new engine would fair.

If you have been keeping up with the current Formula 1 season you would have heard of the criticism regarding the new engine regulations. Many have described the sound of the turbo powered engine as choked. I just decided that I was watching an expensive GP2 race. Drastic, the word to describe the 2014 season change is: drastic.

Jules Bianchi’s shunt into the recovery crane as taken all attention off anything else that happened in the Japanese Grand Prix, but it was in Suzuka that Honda offered a preview of their much anticipated F1 power unit under development in the form of a film including the sound of the engine revving.

Honda encourages everyone to forget about the years that Honda has participated in Formula 1 before dropping out of the sport in 2008. Thanks to the drastic change of the Formula 1 regulations, this new power unit Honda is creating is something that can be described as back to basics.

Development of the power unit is entering its prime phase in the new R&D facility in Sakura, Tochigi, Japan. Other than simulation tests of the engine, Honda will be moving on to the next stage where they will conduct full-fledge bench tests of the engine while connecting the turbocharger and energy recovery systems.

The entire Honda F1 development team are focused on producing the power unit that would help the McLaren team produce good results in the 2015 F1 season. And anticipation all around is very high indeed. Click here to watch Honda's preview video of their F1 power unit