Todt ready to help Honda stay in F1

With McLaren and Honda’s relationship appearing to be at breaking point, ahead of crunch talks this weekend to decide their next steps, there remains uncertainty about what will happen next year.

And there is a risk that if McLaren decides it cannot continue with its current engine partner, and Toro Rosso elects to stay put with Renault, that Honda could even be forced out of F1.

Such a scenario is something that neither F1’s owners Liberty Media nor the FIA want to see, because it would send a bad message out about the state of the sport and its complex engine regulations.

Speaking ahead of the Italian GP, Todt said he hoped that Honda would find a way to remain in F1, and that he had been in dialogue with the Japanese manufacturer.

“Yes, we spoke,” said Todt, during the launch of a new FIA Action for Road Safety Initiative launch at the Italian Grand Prix.

Todt said that matters were not straightforward because he suggested that Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault were all unable to expand to a fourth supply next year.

“I really hope they [Honda] will not leave,” he said. “First, from what I understand now, no manufacturers can supply more than three teams - even if we forget the regulation.

“If you make it easily, three by three it makes nine. So it means that we will end up with a team without an engine, which we don’t want. And we made regulations to avoid that, which needed to be applied before June.

“Now there is a team, the team has a contract – so we will see. I don’t want to comment on facts which are not completely clear at the moment.

“If the time comes, I will be happy to comment and if I can participate to help to make sure that everybody can stay in the business, then I will do the utmost for that.”

Honda motorsport boss Masashi Yamamoto is set to hold talks with McLaren chiefs at Monza this weekend to discuss their future partnership, after flying in from Japan.