General

Honda: "With Verstappen, we now have six podiums in a row"

30 August 2020 at 18:15
Last update 30 August 2020 at 20:44
1
  • GPblog.com

For Honda the Grand Prix of Belgium went very well. The Japanese car manufacturer managed to score points with three out of four cars and with Red Bull Racing they achieved another podium. Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon and Pierre Gasly all finished in the top eight, while Daniil Kvyat finished just outside the points. Toyoharu Tanabe is happy for Honda's sixth podium this season.

"Max's third place means that Honda has now achieved six podiums in a row. Alex had a tough race, because he was in the middle of traffic. He generally did very well, but it was unfortunate that he lost a spot in the last lap," Tanabe explains in the team's press release. Three out of four Honda cars eventually scored points, as Pierre Gasly came eighth.

Simulations for Monza

"Pierre was the only driver who started on the hardest tyre and we think he could have finished higher, but the safety car came just at the wrong time for the strategy. In the end he did get the recognition of 'driver of the day' which is also enormously deserved. Daniil also drove a strong race, but in the end he finished out of the points in eleventh place."

Tanabe now looks ahead to Monza and Mugello. "We now have two more races belonging to the triple header and both will be in Italy. Monza will be the first race where the new rules around the car and the restrictions of different settings will enter into force. We have already done quite a bit of simulation work in order to be as prepared as possible for the changes."