Red Bull and Honda have started discussions

The Red Bull fold had already placed one of its pawns by sealing an engine supply agreement between Toro Rosso and Honda for this 2018 season, but this first movement on the chessboard could presage another major change concerning Red Bull Racing.

The Milton Keynes stable, powered by Renault (via a block rebadged TAG Heuer) thus began preliminary discussions with Honda last weekend in the Baku paddock in Azerbaijan.

“As it was the very first meeting, we discussed the conditions on both sides: what are our respective expectations, comments Masahi Yamamoto, Honda motorsport manager, quoted by the official F1 website.

This was the first discussion. This is the first time we have had an official meeting. This is the starting point for a potential future. »

Engaged with McLaren between 2015 and 2017, Honda and the Woking team ceased their collaboration after three more than complicated seasons. The passage with Toro Rosso, if he is still young and in need of development, has already given rise to a great performance of his own. Pierre Gasly in Bahrain, with a fourth place.

Decision mid-May

If nothing has yet been agreed upon for both parties, the timetable seems rather short to find an agreement, as Yamamoto points out, while at Red Bull, the agreement with Renault remains very difficult.

“We have the obligation to present the documents on May 15 to the FIA,” specifies the Japanese. This is something we are starting to discuss now and it needs to be clear between Honda and Red Bull.

I want to use the time we have left to discuss with the Honda board members before taking Red Bull's comments into account to take the next steps. When we decided to come back F1, the plan was not to stay with just one team but to work with multiple teams. »