Honda planned to start 2019 season with Spec-2 engine

Honda had planned to start the season with their spec 2 engine but revised the plan and looked at the long term gain of starting with the spec1 PU. 

"For the power unit development we have a list, and priorities," Honda's F1 technical director Toyoharu Tanabe told Motorsport.com.

"How long does it take? How much we can gain in terms of performance also in reliability? Some items take longer, but the step is big. So we just apply [the upgrades] based on that schedule.

"We had a little bit of a delay for the Spec 2 introduction. We wanted to start with Spec 2. It's just a result of the PU development [schedule]."

Instead of starting with the spec 2 engine, Honda had a number of engine upgrades throughout the season and had the most PU upgrades than any other team. 

"During this season we started with the Spec 1, and the step to Spec 2 is minor," said Tanabe. "Then we stepped up to Spec 3, a bigger step than Spec 1 to Spec 2.

"And then Spec 4 was bigger than Spec 2 to Spec 3.

"We are happy to introduce our PU as we promised with the team and drivers, it was almost the same step we could make during the season that we told the team.

"From the trackside point of view, as a technical director at the trackside, I'm so happy with that power unit progress."

Honda had a great season, winning three races and claiming their first podium in the V6 turbo era at the season opener in Australia. They will hope to push and and have even more impressive results in 2020.