Because effort:
With the development of new Honda powertrain is one month behind schedule, is explained. For the Japanese are far in personnel planning. And Fernando Alonso is absolute top priority.
After the precipitated Ferrari president Luca Montezemolo confirmed, "Fernando Alonso is leaving Ferrari at the end of the season because he suffered from having won in five years, no other world title more," the way of the Asturiers is mapped out: He leads him neither in a Auszeitjahr expected at Audi in the World Sportscar Championship, but how to McLaren-Honda.
Alonso's return to the team from which he retired in late 2007 in the strife is managed by the new engine partner. The negotiations with the two-time champion and his manager Luis Garcia Abad leads the CEO of "Honda Motor Corporation," Takanobu Ito (61), in person. "Alonso is absolute top priority," reveals an insider SPEEDWEEK.com.
This also because Alonso will be with his new three-year contract with bandied 105 million euros Gage employee Hondas and not McLarens - the British team will employ only the number 2 of the drivers (Kevin Magnussen or Jenson Button).
"Honda's project is for three years, during this time you want to win the title," says our informant, who wishes to remain anonymous. The delay in the development of engine and hybrid system is due to a radical change in the concept, as the Japanese original of Ferraris which are basically access and after the first season results recognized the benefits of Mercedes.
However, much of the philosophy of Red Bull, rather than to own it as a sponsor, and Honda will make every effort to take over at least 25 percent of long-term boss Ron Dennis at McLaren - this is obviously in line with the investor Mumtalakat from Bahrain, the 50 percent is held (the remaining 25 belong Mansour Ojjehs TAG group).
And so is the Causa more interesting ...
"If Honda takes over the shares of Dennis, the Japanese will use their own man. You need someone who knows thoroughly the Formula 1 in FIA and Ecclestone is well-connected and should have as a past with Honda, "says the insider. A requirement profile, tailored to Gerhard Berger - still declared on request before the Grand Prix of Russia: "With me, no one has spoken about it."
But the informant says: "Senna is no longer alive, Prost is persona non grata at Honda, so stay as a former Honda GP winner only Berger. In addition, the Japanese have followed exactly what he achieved as a Toro Rosso boss. And Berger has always been very popular in Japan. "
How serious is the Honda Formula 1 return, show reshuffles: 150 engineers are now working at the Development Center Tochigi, some were taken from the MotoGP team, even brought some veterans from the 1980s from the board. And a proposed model for China Street is delayed two months because technicians were diverted to Formula 1.
For McLaren, claims the insider, is the exclusivity of the Honda deals not cemented forever: "If McLaren does not appear at the end of the season in the Constructors' Championship in the top box, Honda has the right to choose other teams as partners. It protects itself, so far as it goes. "
I never said the overall points they've made was good, although take out mercedes and it's not actually that bad relatively, the car is just not good enough to do any better than they are doing but you can understand that some of this is down to limited mercedes involvement due to 'secrecy over the engine'.
