Honda success would make McLaren look 'silly'
Oct.3 - Zak Brown admits McLaren team management will look "silly" if Honda takes a huge step forward in 2018.
After three years of struggling with the Japanese marque, McLaren has dumped Honda and will be powered by customer Renault engines from next season.
Honda is moving to the junior Red Bull team Toro Rosso, with official Dr Helmut Marko saying things are "looking up".
Indeed, Stoffel Vandoorne told the Belgian broadcaster RTBF that Malaysia had been "my best performance since I was in F1, after qualifying and racing his McLaren-Honda to seventh.
So the obvious question to ask is how McLaren will feel if it turns out that the British team dumped its works partner just as Honda finally makes a breakthrough.
"Obviously if Honda starts to win in 2018 and we're not, we will look silly," McLaren executive Zak Brown is quoted by the Spanish daily Marca.
"But I think everyone has to make their decisions and then accept the outcome.
"I think the moment you make any decision there is always an element of 'What if I'm wrong?' But I think everyone has done their homework and it was a group decision that was not easy," Brown said.
"It's like Indianapolis. Some said 'What if Alonso is injured?' 'What if we lose a great opportunity in Monaco?' But fortunately he (Alonso) drove perfectly and Jenson (Button) started from the pitlane.
"We have to look forward and not back," Brown added.
However, works Honda MotoGP rider Marc Marquez is not so sure McLaren has made a wise choice in dumping the Japanese.
"I think they knew from the beginning that it was a long-term project," he is quoted by El Mundo Deportivo newspaper.
"McLaren knew this could happen even if Honda is one of the most powerful brands in the world. I hope it does turn out that McLaren's decision is hasty and that Honda is the best in both motorcycles and cars," he added.
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McLaren should build their own engines, or get a reliable loyal source. Nobody beats Honda's progress, it's takes work and time, McLaren gave up on Honda way too early. It took Schumi and Lewis to develop the Benzes and look where Mercedes are now. Alonso is the one who just gave up and isn't patient, that's the difference between the real champions, Lewis, and Schumi. Of course Senna was the One, no one can ever give feedback like him. I just hope honda finds great success with the new Scuderia, and the Italians work very well with everyone. I think Toro Rosso is gonna be top 5 for sure by 2019 at least. Kyvyat is a good driver, he finished 15th in a toro rosso when he joined but he's been having some bad luck, to be honest this Russian driver is really really good. Sainz Jr was as fantastic as his dad, nothing to say there, and currently he's 9th. Stroll is 12th place in a williams. That guy is tarnishing Williams' rep. Stupid kid gets distracted by the streering to shut things off and doesn't see who's around him. Vettel is a 4 time champion, I'm pretty damn sure he can fucking drive.
It will be very interesting to see what performance Toro Rosso will get out the Honda engine. When I look at the last 2 races, I notice that McLaren is even faster then Toro Rosso and if Honda develops like the are doing now they could be a big surprise next season. After all Honda already could be world champion in 2009 when they left in 2007 and Brawn became champion and sold the team to Mercedes...
Shumi and who???? Lewis has only ever won in a car developed by someone else, hence the struggles Merc is having right now at the latter part of the V6 Era. Just like the struggles Macca had the last few years and all Lewis did was run to another well developed team by someone else. We will see next year, yes Merc should be worried.
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