Detailed feedback from Verstappen was important for Honda in 2021
F1 News
- GPblog.com
The Honda engine that has been in the Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri cars in recent years has improved dramatically over the last season. According to Masashi Yamamoto, this improvement was mainly due to feedback from Max Verstappen.
Honda engine used one year earlier
2021 was the last year that Honda participated as an engine supplier in Formula 1. The Japanese brand, after announcing their departure, had decided to pull out all the stops for one more year and even brought forward the engine scheduled for 2022 by a year.
In an interview with Motorsport.com Yamamoto says that the engine introduced last season was a much better fit to the Red Bull chassis. This not only improved the car's performance, but also its reliability.
Verstappen important in the development
What has helped Honda optimize the engine, in particular, is the good relationship with the Red Bull drivers. According to Yamamoto, all four drivers provided invaluable feedback, with detailed feedback from Verstappen especially important.
In the end, Honda was able to leave Formula 1 with a highlight. Verstappen won the Grand Prix and with it the World Championship after a bizarre final battle in Abu Dhabi.