Marko confirms changed plans Honda: "The engines will be produced in Japan"
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- GPblog.com
Honda may continue to power Red Bull Racing directly from Japan until 2025 according to Helmut Marko, who talks about a radical change of direction for the Japanese engine manufacturer.
Honda would retire from Formula 1 after 2021, with the result that Red Bull would continue with the engine project itself in the form of Red Bull Powertrains. The initial plan was to produce the engines independently from 2023 onwards, but this could be 2026.
Marko talks of changed plans Honda
However, Marko has announced a change in plans. Honda is said to have changed its mind due to the highly successful 2021 season and decided to continue supplying Red Bull with engines for the next few years.
"We have now found a very different solution than we initially imagined," Marko said in conversation with Autorevue. "The engines will be produced in Japan until 2025. We are not going to touch them at all."
This would also mean that the rights will remain in the hands of Honda until 2025 as well, allowing Red Bull Racing to compete as a starting engine supplier when the new engine regulations are introduced. This would allow the team to take advantage of possible concessions in 2026, which are being discussed to attract new brands such as Volkswagen.