F1 could be set to help Honda emerge from its three-year struggle for reliability and performance. According to Spain's El Confidencial, the plan could be spearheaded by new F1 owner Liberty Media, aware that Honda's troubles are not a good advertisement for other manufacturers interested in entering the sport.
"It is so serious that some rivals even seem willing to help," the report claimed. Indeed, there are reports in both the Spanish and British press that Mercedes, having dominated F1 in the 'power unit' era to date, could support Honda's desperate push to improve.
"We are in a competitive world," said McLaren boss Eric Boullier, "and I know a lot of people who do not want us to be there." McLaren, meanwhile, declined to comment on speculation that former F1 engine guru Mario Illien is now actively working with Honda. But Honda's Yusuke Hasegawa said: "We are doing everything we can. We are using external sources and have been changing our organisation since the beginning of March."
The first fruits will reportedly be seen this weekend in Russia, following a much more reliable showing for Honda's troubled V6 power unit in the post-Bahrain test. Germany's Auto Bild reports that the centrepiece of the Sochi upgrade is a new MGU-H unit. And it is expected that a customer engine deal for Sauber will be announced for 2018 in the coming days.
"We are still behind our rivals," said a Honda spokesman, "but we are going in the right direction."
Mercedes has already helped Renault in the past, I dont think they'd mind helping Honda either. And even if they do mind, if they dont help them they will look like villains, and that kind of publicity isnt exactly beneficial to them. If the rumors are legit and Mercedes ponder on helping Honda, they really only have one choice now, unless they want to face backlash by e.g media. If Honda want the help, that is.
If I was Merc I would be offering to help too. Their guys that go over to help won't give all their secrets away, they will just help get the basic system running the way it should. What they get in return is a way to see the Honda engine and it's secrets. Anything worth copying/researching will then be taken back to Merc and they will have benefited massively. That's why you offer to help, it's not to improve your competitor it's actually to get their secrets/new technology.
Of course, thats to be expected, and thats how it should go down. Though at the end of the day it would probably benefit Honda more as it stands today.
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Wolfgang
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OF COURSE ARE RIVALS GOING TO HELP.
Just like Ferrari is then going to share Aero-Data with Red Bull and Merc..