So, Renault used to provide engines for RB, then they switched to Honda. After a couple of years (I think), Honda announced they were walking away and, IIRC, RB was scrambling to build their own factory and were going to make their own engines, with Black Jack and a hookers!
That year, RB took off and won the first DC for Max as well as Constructors so Honda suddenly announced an about face and came back to work with RB as a partner
That first “almost walk away” from Honda is what I was referring to… but maybe I got those details wrong?
Honda announced they were walking away, but they never did. Since these things take time, and of course the Honda people who were working with Red Bull directly did not actually want to end that project. So yes, like you say they were intending to walk away but never did. They are still the ones making the engines for Red Bull & Racing Bulls until the end of the year. Even if the sticker says “Red Bull Powertrains”.
And since that is the case, any idea that Yukis seat is tied to Honda would only come into play now and not while they were still working together
Honda announced they were walking away and, IIRC, RB was scrambling to build their own factory and were going to make their own engines, with Black Jack and a hookers!
And that’s their 2026 engine, partially paid for by Ford who are allowed to stick their blue oval on it in a branding deal – the marketing blah blah is that it’s co-developed by Ford and RB but that completely false. Red Bull set up Red Bull Powertrains, bought Honda’s UK hybrid unit development center with all personnel and poached mostly from Mercedes way before Ford was in the picture. RB, Ford, F1TV, and Sky F1 will repeat this lie constantly but the fact is that for the upcoming Ford Hypercar in World Endurance Championship Ford needs Red Bull’s help and not the other way around which is why that hypercar is being developed in the UK with the help of Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Red Bull Powertrains (Ford cannot build anything more powerful that the Ford Mustang GT3 and even that needed lots of help from Multimatic).
A few years ago Red Bull successfully lobbied for an engine freeze. That’s why Honda could assemble a bunch of new engines without any need to develop it further.
Again?
This is a joke, right?
No, not a joke (but maybe a misunderstanding?)
So, Renault used to provide engines for RB, then they switched to Honda. After a couple of years (I think), Honda announced they were walking away and, IIRC, RB was scrambling to build their own factory and were going to make their own engines, with Black Jack and a hookers!
That year, RB took off and won the first DC for Max as well as Constructors so Honda suddenly announced an about face and came back to work with RB as a partner
That first “almost walk away” from Honda is what I was referring to… but maybe I got those details wrong?
In any case, what is RB going to do for 2026?
Honda announced they were walking away, but they never did. Since these things take time, and of course the Honda people who were working with Red Bull directly did not actually want to end that project. So yes, like you say they were intending to walk away but never did. They are still the ones making the engines for Red Bull & Racing Bulls until the end of the year. Even if the sticker says “Red Bull Powertrains”.
And since that is the case, any idea that Yukis seat is tied to Honda would only come into play now and not while they were still working together
I see, thanks for the additional detail
Well, engine development was shut down for quite some time. The Sakura crew was reassigned to different areas within Honda, so these people were still available but the UK crew was transferred to Red Bull. A new UK base was only reopened in 2024: https://honda.racing/post/honda-racing-corporation-hrc-establishes-a-new-formula-one-base-in-the-uk
The majority of the 2026 Honda engine for Aston Martin is developed by Honda/HRC in Japan and HRC USA (formerly HPD, Honda Performance Development): https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-racing/releases/release-63b0bd89adfbb0b817837ec2c5000f6e-honda-racing-corporation-usa-launches (no idea about the workload share since HRC UK has reopened)
And that’s their 2026 engine, partially paid for by Ford who are allowed to stick their blue oval on it in a branding deal – the marketing blah blah is that it’s co-developed by Ford and RB but that completely false. Red Bull set up Red Bull Powertrains, bought Honda’s UK hybrid unit development center with all personnel and poached mostly from Mercedes way before Ford was in the picture. RB, Ford, F1TV, and Sky F1 will repeat this lie constantly but the fact is that for the upcoming Ford Hypercar in World Endurance Championship Ford needs Red Bull’s help and not the other way around which is why that hypercar is being developed in the UK with the help of Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Red Bull Powertrains (Ford cannot build anything more powerful that the Ford Mustang GT3 and even that needed lots of help from Multimatic).
A few years ago Red Bull successfully lobbied for an engine freeze. That’s why Honda could assemble a bunch of new engines without any need to develop it further.
very cool story, thanks for taking the time to share it
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