Honda pulling the plug on Sauber deal?

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Published on 11 Jul 2017 17:50
11
By: Fergal Walsh

Latest reports surrounding Sauber and Honda is that the Japanese manufacturer has decided to pull out of a deal signed between the two for the 2018 season. Earlier this year, Sauber announced it would be powered by Honda in 2018.

According to Germany's Bild, Honda is deeply unimpressed by the recent decisions at Sauber, mainly the sudden departure of team principal Monisha Kaltenborn. Kaltenborn herself spearheaded the negotiations between both Sauber and Honda.

The three signed a three-year deal despite Honda's current struggles. Sauber currently run with year-old Ferrari power which is seriously damaging its 2017 season. If the partnership was to be abandoned, it is likely that Sauber would remain a Ferrari customer.

The last time the sole Sauber team ran engines that didn't contain the Ferrari name was 2005, when the team appeared as Sauber Petronas. From 2006 to 2009, when the team was called BMW Sauber, it ran with BMW engines.

Fergal Walsh

yellowfly81

Posts: 79

The Petronas engine was a Ferrari, just rebadged!

1
Jul 11 2017 - 18:04

F1 News Sauber Ferrari BMW Honda

Replies (11)

yellowfly81

Posts: 79
The Petronas engine was a Ferrari, just rebadged!
- + 1
- Jul 11 2017 - 18:04
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Yup, very much so. They have run with Ilmor engines (one year with a Mercedes badged Ilmor engine) from their creation and into the 1994 season, Ford engines up until 97, and BMW engines in 2006-2009. Apart from those seasons, they have only run with Ferrari units.
  + 0
  
  Jul 11 2017 - 18:18
calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
I dont think they will leave Sauber. They need a second team to get more data and income for their F1 project, or alternatively they need Sauber to stay in F1. And Sauber cant really afford to stay with Ferrari, their units are too expensive for Sauber, and they likely want the money a deal with Honda could bring them regardless of whether they end up last or not.

A curious thought: If McLaren switches to Mercedes, and Honda were, somehow, to become competitive in 2018, would Red Bull switch to Honda post 2018?
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- Jul 11 2017 - 18:26
- mbmwe36
  
  Posts: 533
  I agree, I think cooler heads will prevail here. Plus, it would make Honda look even worse from a PR standpoint. And they certainly need all the help they can get in that department right now.
  
  I don't see why Red Bull wouldn't make the switch, if Honda were to become competitive. Although that is a big motherf**king if, at this point.
  + 0
  
  Jul 11 2017 - 19:58
f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Cant see it happening, Honda need Sauber as much as Sauber need Honda
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- Jul 11 2017 - 18:40
Kurosawa

Posts: 112
if Honda cancels the Sauber contract that could indicate that they consider to leave F1
Honda may not be motivated enough to just work with the small Sauber team if McLaren ditches them so this is bad news because we might lose an engine manufacturer
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- Jul 11 2017 - 20:07
Wolfgang

Posts: 313
i think this shows McLaren signed Honda for 2018.. Maybe Honda made the deal with Sauber when they felt unsafe for 2018 with McLaren..
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- Jul 12 2017 - 06:28
Barron

Posts: 625
Reports? What reports? By whom? When? Could be innuendo / fake news by parties trying to destabilise Honda..
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- Jul 12 2017 - 11:19
mclarenfan1968

Posts: 1,027
Honda can use all the extra data and mileage from another team, so does Mclaren, secretly Mclaren now hopes to have Honda supply more teams as that helps their self centered need for quick progress on the engine front.

And LMAO at the suggestion that Honda are unimpressed with Monisha's departure, the whole world + dog sees that parasite's departure as the best thing that has happened to Suaber in a long while. Good riddance to the vampire. Which ass-clown even makes up this sort of news? Pretty poor try.
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- Jul 12 2017 - 14:17
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Yes, I also doubt the reality of a pullout for Honda. Its not their style to basically confirm a deal, only to go "LOL JK NO" on the other party. Thats more Monisha's style of deal. I've actually heard some source claim that Sauber an McLaren could've gotten more sponsors, but they didnt want to deal with Kaltenborn and Dennis. I sort of doubt the reality of those rumors, but who knows.
  + 0
  
  Jul 12 2017 - 17:34
- mclarenfan1968
  
  Posts: 1,027
  Wouldn't be surprised, no consortium/entities/VCs want to deal with a parasite such as that wh0re.
  + 0
  
  Jul 13 2017 - 08:30