For several weeks, rumors have been circulating about a potential return as engine suppliers by the two main Japanese manufacturers. According to Blick<\/i>, Toyota supposedly has Williams in its sights with the aim of promoting Lexus, while on the Honda side, recent paddock whispers have suggested the possibility of providing the Japanese V6 to a second team. This move would be in response to Bernie Ecclestone, the chief financial officer of Formula 1, who wants to better balance the distribution of engine suppliers among teams. Some suggest that this second team could possibly be Sauber, whose contract with Ferrari expires at the end of this season and who, while favoring the Italian option for 2014, might nonetheless be tempted to partner with Honda in the more or less long term.<\/p>\n
However, for now, nothing has confirmed or denied these speculations and, on Renault’s side, there is doubt about the possibility of a return of the two Japanese engine manufacturers: “If they truly wanted to come back, then why didn’t they participate in the planning meetings?” wonders Rob White, head of Renault Sport’s technical team, in the columns of Speed Week<\/i>. “We have never received a request in this regard: at the meetings, there are always only Ferrari, Mercedes, and us. But Honda and Toyota could easily ask the FIA for the right to participate.”<\/p>\n
However, Rob White acknowledges that Honda and Toyota initially expressed their interest in the new regulations, just like Audi and other engine manufacturers: \u00ab The first meetings took place four years ago, and the interest was significant: Audi, Cosworth, Ilmor, Honda, Toyota, Mecachrome, and other engine makers. However, when things became a little more specific, only the PURE project [by Craig Pollock, ed.] was left, and now there are only the three of us. I simply cannot imagine that a manufacturer could commit in 2015 without having sought to have a say in the regulations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rob White, head of the technical team at Renault Sport, questions the reality of the supposed intentions of Honda and Toyota to return as engine manufacturers. The Englishman is particularly surprised by the absence of the Japanese manufacturers at the preparatory meetings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":40007,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,1749],"tags":[596,1341],"class_list":["post-17461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","category-news","tag-honda","tag-renault"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n