Red Bull Could Develop Honda’s Power Unit After 2021 – Yamamoto

Honda announced its decision to withdraw from Formula One last week, throwing a spanner in the works for Red Bull.

Honda is looking to exit Formula 1 in style, with the Japanese car-maker eyeing a Drivers’ or Constructors’ title with Red Bull in 2021.

Masashi Yamamoto, the managing director of Honda’s current F1 project, stressed that they aren’t giving up on the remainder of 2020 and next season because of their withdrawal.

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“We still have seven more races to go this year first and we have various things we [would] like to try for next year as well,” Yamamoto said in an interview with The Race.

“Next year we will try to fight for the Championship and have a good ending to our story. For next year, we will not reduce any people from our project.

“We are going to develop more. And we will make the biggest effort in order to win as much as possible. We will just keep pushing till the end.”

He also said Honda is open to discussing ways to assist its two customer teams – Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri – beyond 2021.

“Honda is happy to talk to them if they need us in any way, not only about the power unit but about other things as well.

“To support AlphaTauri and Red Bull for their programme after 2021 in any way, we’re happy to cooperate.

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“As Honda we had so many things from the teams, so we want to give it back somehow in a nice way for the future.”

When asked if this means they would be open to allowing Red Bull to take on the development of its power unit after 2021, Yamamoto said he would be willing to speak to his superiors at Honda if the Milton Keynes-based team made such a request.

“I personally want to support [Red Bull and AlphaTauri] as much as possible,” he added.

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