Special feature
Formula 1
Top Stories of 2019, #8: Honda's hybrid finally comes good
Coming in at number eight on our Top Stories countdown is a look back at how Honda transformed its reputation in Formula 1's hybrid engine era in the first year of its partnership with Red Bull Racing.
Adam Cooper
Edited: Dec 26, 2019, 3:07 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Top 20 Stories of 2019
Join Motorsport.com for its annual countdown of the biggest stories in motor racing.
Honda’s return to the top step of the podium was one of the most extraordinary aspects of the 2019 F1 season, and it fully vindicated what turned out to be a brilliant strategic decision by Red Bull bosses Helmut Marko, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey.
For Honda it was redemption after three painful years with McLaren that were so unfortunately characterised by Fernando Alonso’s infamous “GP2 engine” radio comment.
It’s easy in retrospect to chuckle at McLaren’s (expensive) decision to split with the Japanese manufacturer at the end of 2017. However we shouldn’t forget that Honda did a poor job on performance and reliability over the first few years of its involvement in the hybrid era, and several management changes indicated that all was not well in the camp.
It was perhaps inevitable that Woking’s patience ran out, and the relationship between the two parties became strained beyond salvation. Having said that, it takes two to tango, and McLaren’s own chassis and aero weaknesses were to be exposed when it switched to Renault engines in 2018.
Red Bull, equally frustrated with its long-time partner Renault, saw an opportunity when McLaren jumped. It could use Toro Rosso as a testbed for the engine in 2018, and then switch the main RBR team for 2019 if the signs were positive. There was nothing to lose.
We know now that had McLaren hung on for one more year there would have been enough of an upswing in Honda’s performance to transform the partnership. Instead it was Toro Rosso who reaped the benefit of McLaren’s three years of development pain. By the middle of 2018 Red Bull was confident enough – based on an extrapolation of Honda’s form at that stage – to commit for ‘19.
At the very first race Max Verstappen qualified on the front row and finished third, and thereafter the Dutchman put in a series of solid finishes as the engine showed good reliability.
Upgrades helped him to score a spectacular win on Red Bull’s home ground in Austria, and further successes followed in Germany and Brazil. There were also three poles, albeit one was lost to a yellow flag offence.
Verstappen eventually beat both the Ferrari drivers to claim third in the championship, and the consensus was that one extra push from Honda for 2020 could give Red Bull a title contending package.
There was still some issues. Both Verstappen and the second entry shared by Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon used five V6s during the year, and the two Toro Rossos – with some strategic changes included – used as many as seven. But then again, Renault users Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg needed six to get through the season, a reminder of the reliability frustrations that had led Red Bull to jump ship.
Verstappen was often heard complaining about technical problems on team radio, although any frustration never extended to criticism in the media. The relationship between Honda and the two Red Bull teams just seemed to grow stronger as time went by.
“I think it’s been a transitionary year for the team,” said Horner when asked by Motorsport.com. “It was always going to be – the first engine change we’ve had in 13 years.
“And the partnership with Honda has worked tremendously well, from the first race, the podium in Melbourne. You know, with each engine has been introduced, we're getting better and better.
“Reliability has been been strong. We've only had one mechanical DNF this year, in Azerbaijan [with Gasly], and with each engine introduction, we’ve got closer and closer to the pace.
“The three pole positions, albeit we only kept two of them, three victories. Nine podiums is a really impressive performance this year.
“This is really has been beyond expectation and in many respects, the relationship with Honda has been fantastic, the reliability, the performance increased with each engine. It’s been very much a highlight.”
Click here to see the list of Top 20 stories so far.
Toyoharu Tanabe, F1 Technical Director, Honda, pours Champagne over Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Hamilton engineer swap a "great opportunity" for Bottas
Next article Ferrari wants to add female drivers to F1 junior programme
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Adam Cooper
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
More from
Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc admits he missed a chance against Max Verstappen – but not the obvious one
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
16 h
Charles Leclerc admits he missed a chance against Max Verstappen – but not the obvious one
The hidden factor that gives Max Verstappen and Red Bull extra hope for 2027
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
19 h
The hidden factor that gives Max Verstappen and Red Bull extra hope for 2027
Latest news
WSJ Report: NASCAR is building 80+ race cars for Days of Thunder sequel
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 1 h
WSJ Report: NASCAR is building 80+ race cars for Days of Thunder sequel
Brennan Poole to leave Alpha Prime Racing; team owners 'disappointed' to see him go
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Charlotte II
11 h
Brennan Poole to leave Alpha Prime Racing; team owners 'disappointed' to see him go
Oscar Piastri on his Singapore puncture: “Ironically, it probably helped”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
12 h
Oscar Piastri on his Singapore puncture: “Ironically, it probably helped”
Winners and losers from NASCAR Cup at Charlotte after dramatic finish
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
15 h
Winners and losers from NASCAR Cup at Charlotte after dramatic finish
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe