McLaren looking for new engine partner to replace Mercedes
22 October, 2012
Ayrton Senna drives the Honda powered McLaren MP4/7A to victory in the 1992 Hungarian GP
Oct.22 (GMM) McLaren is reportedly seeking a new engine partner for its multiple championship winning Formula One team, with former engine partners Honda, and perhaps even Porsche, possible candidates.
The Woking based team has been powered by Mercedes engines since 1995, but the German carmaker now has its own, entirely separate works team.
Indeed, McLaren’s current Mercedes relationship will soon end, leaving the Martin Whitmarsh-led team with having to become a normal engine ‘customer’ like Force India.
Honda, the Japanese carmaker who in the past enjoyed a successful F1 partnership with McLaren, has been mentioned as a possible alternative, particularly with the sport switching from V8′s to turbo V6′s in 2014.
Honda pulled out of F1 after the 2008 season.
“I follow the rules, certainly, and if they present an opportunity then it would be nice to go back [to F1],” Honda’s head of research and development Yoshiharu Yamamoto admitted earlier this month.
The Sun newspaper said McLaren is indeed “looking to ditch Mercedes and reunite with Honda”.
“There is no way McLaren will stay as a customer for Mercedes engines,” a source is quoted as saying.
Also of late there has been speculation that Porsche, who have been hiring staff with F1 experience, may be looking to return to the fold – having had world championship winning success with McLaren in the past as part of the TAG funded turbo engine project.
Subbed by AJN.
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Sounds like a ploy to negotiate engine deals. Honda has not officially committed to anything, so that means there is zero chance they will have anything by 2014, where Merc, Ferrari and Renault already have running lumps on dynos. Cosworth is ahead at this point in design/engineering, but no working motors yet, so maybe they get bought up by Honda or McLaren? The problem there is Cosworth has no KERS, they will use Williams parts for that in 2013, so who knows how that is resolved for 2014 when they will all run ERS. Further, developing ones own engine is going to cost a bit more than $10M a season, so leasing seems the cheapest deal. That all said, Merc power is McLaren’s best near term bet, so the noise is all about negotiations and not reality at all.
Mclaren Cosworth, are you serious !!
Mclaren Renault would be fine for the moment !
Ron – CEO Mclaren group has a dream – the British Ferrari
He has the road car, McLaren F1 / MP4-12C
He just needs to build his own engine to power the Mclaren F1 team. Thats why he allowed the Mercedes deal to expire.
He WILL build his own engine, though not quite ready yet.
I would like 2 see Cosworth – maybe Mclaren could buy the company and develop their own MP4 engine !!!
Mclaren Honda, bring it on ,I really wish that happens.