Fernando Alonso: Honda’s F1 engine ideas will be difficult to copy

 

The current McLaren driver Fernando Alonso thinks that Honda engine will be impossible to copy for the rival Formula 1 engine manufacturers if its “unique” power unit ideas pay off.

The Japanese firm has gone a sensational return to F1 with McLaren this year, racking up a string of failures and generally being in the lower midfield.

This happens as the firm has avoided hiring experienced engineers from well-known F1 manufacturers and focused on its own homegrown team at Sakura in Japan.

When Alonso was asked that if this was a weakness that left Honda isolated, Alonso said he was certain Honda’s unique thinking would ultimately prove advantageous.

“It can be a weakness or it can be the winning formula,” he said.

“I choose to believe this is the winning formula.

“If you want to copy what Mercedes do, you can be close to Mercedes but you cannot ever be better than Mercedes.

“Being there in another culture, with another discipline and another ethic of work has maybe been difficult this year because some of the process has been slower than what it could be, but I think some of the ideas we have are very unique in the paddock.

“If we make them work, it will be difficult for anyone else to copy.”