'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Red Bull F1 team advisor Helmut Marko has stated that Honda might be more involved with the team than expected. The Austrian revealed that the Japanese engine maker initially were to supply engines until 2022 but will now continue until 2025.
Speaking to Autorevue magazine, the Red Bull advisor said:
“We have now also found a completely different solution to the one originally envisaged. The engines will be manufactured in Japan until 2025, we will not touch them at all."
"That means that the rights and all these things will remain with the Japanese, which is important for 2026 because it makes us newcomers.”
Initially the Milton Keynes team decided to acquire sealed engines and receive race support from Japan until 2022, but now they will continue the same until 2025. Essentially this would allow Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) to focus on the new 2026 engine regulations and manufacture their own engine thereafter.
Explaining the agreement further, Marko said:
“It was initially planned that they would only make our motors for 2022. Now it has been decided that this will continue until 2025, which is of course a huge advantage for us. This means we only have to make fine adjustments and calibrations.”
According to the original plan the engines would be manufactured at the Sakura facility in Japan and the Milton Keynes engine division would start producing their own from 2023-2025. However, Marko’s statements now suggest that RBPT is now free to concentrate on the new regulations that will be in effect from 2026.
Helmut Marko revealed the Red Bull Powertrains plant will be running by May or June
The Milton Keynes team advisor revealed that the RBPT plant will be up and running by May or June 2022.
Meanwhile ex-Hondachief Masashi Yamamoto has already confirmed that he has left the Japanese company to start his own consultancy. Yamamoto will act like a bridge between the Milton Keynes setup and Japan. The team have also confirmed that all Honda UK staff will move to RBPT in Milton Keynes by the end of February.
Giving updates on the RBPT facility, Helmut Marko said:
“The prerequisite for this agreement was that engine development was frozen. Because the first phase would have been that we do everything ourselves."
"That's why we started in Milton Keynes and dutifully bought in from [dyno supplier] AVL. The plant will go into full operation in May/June.”
From Marko’s confirmation it is understood that Red Bull will continue to receive engine and race support from Japan until 2025. In the meantime, the RBPT facility will service the engines and focus on the new engine regulations from 2026 onwards.
