Honda’s recent times in Formula 1 having been trying to say the least, with many an engine failure-related retirement a definite sore point for the Japanese carmaker’s collaboration with McLaren.
With the Woking-based F1 team leaving the partnership a year early, Honda has called for a change of the engine guard before it switches to supplying engines to Toro Rosso next year, with Yasuke Hasegawa having been in charge until this point.
Hasegawa has been relieved from his post as Head of Formula 1 Project which oversees two roles: to supervise powertrain development at Honda’s research and development facility in Japan, and to direct track-side operations at races and test sessions globally.
The role of technical operations now falls to Toyoharu Tanabe, who is currently senior manager at Honda Performance Development in the United States. Tanabe’s time with Honda started in 1984, having worked in Formula 1 alongside Gerhard Berger at McLaren and Jenson Button during the BAR-Honda era, as well as in the IndyCars series.
As for leading the powertrain development back at base in Sakura, Japan, a replacement for the role has not been officially named; however, this will apparently go to Yasuaki Asaki, previously chief of N series kei cars at Honda, according to Autosport. The changes are set to take effect on January 1.
Meanwhile, McLaren will be hoping for better fortunes and ultimately results, with the change to Renault power units next year.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
“Not Honda fault, Kobe supplied the steel for the engine which caused unreliability. Jepunis unreliability is fake news” says basher.
RBR might regret giving McLaren the only advantage that they have currently. Expect McL to outscore RBR in 2018.
Ini barulah… gud job Honda. Have courage to step up and Change. MY future is in our hands. If not us, who else?
The glory days of Marlboro McLaren Honda & Williams Honda are looong gone. Forgotten, another page in history. Just like the legendary Aryton Senna who drove these Honda engines to victory.
Aryton, gone but as far as I’m concerned, never forgotten.
Honda’s own strength was its weakness. Next.
Geely should follow this style too….terminate all the deadwoods sucking the company dry.
Geely ada deadwood?
Surely Red Bull had something to do with this. Honda’s European F1 base is in Milton Keynes. Guess who else is in Milton Keynes? Not new partner, Torro Rosso, who are in Italy. But Red Bull Racing itself. One can only wonder what’s really the relationship between Honda, TR and RBR is?
Japanese sack their chief when things don’t turn out Right. British sack their managers when their clubs don’t perform to expectation.
Malaysian “transferred” its head when they don’t perform hence its Gud to work for M’sian company. He he he. Cheers
Sack from position ≠ sack from kompeni