Red Bull thanks Honda for ‘walking away’ from F1

Christian Horner made an interesting comment on Honda’s latest move.

The Japanese manufacturer, who announced his retirement from Formula 1 in the summer of 2020, has never parted with it for good. This does not mean, however, that the move did not have significant consequences. One of them is the need to change color and stop the very strong Red Bull soon.

The Bulls responded to Honda’s argument in a bold way and opened their own Powertrains department. Major investment and the recruitment of staff from competing divisions meant that the Milton Keynes team would soon be independent and no longer needed. special help from outsideeg from the Japanese or the German Porsche.

However, this would not have happened if Honda decided not to announce its parting ways with the queen of motor sports.

– [Umowa z Astonem] This is positive news for Honda and Formula 1 said the head of the champions. – This is a great company that has a great legacy in the game. We enjoyed good communication and will continue to do so for the next 2.5 years. In the 2020 season, however, they decided to announce their departure from F1, and this forced us to make a decision that turned out to be the best for us.

– It was an expensive decision for sure! We have passed the responsibility of being consumers. Having the engine department on our campus and the ability to fully integrate the unit with the vehicle provides an amazing synergy. The long-term benefits are very important. We wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t for Honda leaving.

“In many ways, we have them to thank for pushing us towards building the engine department, creating jobs and of course, the partnership with Ford which is very exciting. Would we have done that if we knew Honda’s position today? Not really, but we’ve already gone that way and dealt with it.” As the engagement grew, we began to see more long-term benefits.

“Our collaboration with Honda has been amazing. We were not only treated as a customer, but also as a partner. Having the experience of a relationship unlike few companies, being able to dictate certain parameters for another car will be something completely new. This has already happened with Honda, but in part. In 2026, however, we will enter a new level.