Apr.5 (GMM) Honda admits it would like its Formula 1 engines to power Max Verstappen beyond this season.
The quadruple world champion caused a stir earlier this week in Tokyo whilst attending an event to mark the looming end of the successful Honda-Red Bull partnership.
“I’m still quite young and you never know what happens in the future,” he said. “I could never have imagined the heights we would reach with four championships won together.”
The prospect of a reunion with Verstappen – which would involve the Dutchman triggering an exit clause and switching to Aston Martin – also seems to be appealing to Honda.
“After this season, our focus is on the collaboration with Aston Martin,” Honda Racing Corporation boss Koji Watanabe told De Telegraaf newspaper.
“Honestly, I hope that there will be another opportunity for Honda to work with Max Verstappen,” he added. “I sincerely hope so.
“I have spoken to him many times, and he has always been positive about our attitude and mentality. Max is also very strong in communication with the Honda engineers,” the Japanese said. “He talks clearly with them, and that ensures that the engineers have become fans of his, and why they are extremely dedicated to him.
“People often see the sportsman, but I also have deep respect for Max as a person,” added Watanabe.
The probability of Verstappen exiting Red Bull is growing steadily at present, as the 27-year-old complained of chassis “flexing” at Suzuka.
The team is working hard on a new wind tunnel, with Dr Helmut Marko describing it as “a remnant of the 1940s that was built by the British military”.
It also seems as though there’s a problem with correlation between the simulator and the track. “The feeling of the real car is a little more different from the virtual one that I expected,” Yuki Tsunoda related after practice at Suzuka.
“It was more extreme than I expected. The driving experience was much more difficult in the real car, especially in the fast corners.”
Team advisor Marko agrees: “We should review of processes in the simulator, because often the basic setup when we get to the track isn’t right.”
Some think Red Bull’s ‘junior’ team Racing Bulls has even pulled off producing a better car than Red Bull Racing this year. Verstappen giggled when asked for his opinion about that.
“I think they’ve surprised themselves with their car,” he said. “On one lap, they’re close.”
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