Red Bull and Honda Discuss Engine Deal for 2019 F1 Season

You say that Sporting Regs insist that the manufacturer must be announced by May but there doesn't seem to be any reference to that. The Sporting Regs do say:

SR 8.3
A competitor may change the make of engine at any time during the Championship
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In theory Red Bull don't have to announce anything in May 2018, surely?
 
TenEightyOne
You say that Sporting Regs insist that the manufacturer must be announced by May but there doesn't seem to be any reference to that. The Sporting Regs do say:



In theory Red Bull don't have to announce anything in May 2018, surely?
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From Appendix 9:
Each of the Power Unit Manufacturers of an homologated power unit must:

i) provide the FIA, before 15 May (or such other date as agreed in writing between all the Power Unit Manufacturers and the FIA) of the season preceding that in which such power units are to be supplied, with the list of teams (clearly identifying the appointed “works/factory” team, if any) to which a supply agreement has been concluded for the given Championship season.
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Terronium-12
From Appendix 9:

Each of the Power Unit Manufacturers of an homologated power unit must:

i) provide the FIA, before 15 May (or such other date as agreed in writing between all the Power Unit Manufacturers and the FIA) of the season preceding that in which such power units are to be supplied, with the list of teams (clearly identifying the appointed “works/factory” team, if any) to which a supply agreement has been concluded for the given Championship season.
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Precisely - they only have to notify the FIA of the teams for which a supply agreement has been concluded - that's for the purposes of the "T" calculation detailed later on in that appendix. The same clause was in place in SR 2017 but we saw that (T-dependent) supplier changes were made right up to the end of the season.
 
TenEightyOne
Precisely - they only have to notify the FIA of the teams for which a supply agreement has been concluded - that's for the purposes of the "T" calculation detailed later on in that appendix. The same clause was in place in SR 2017 but we saw that (T-dependent) supplier changes were made right up to the end of the season.
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Which leaves me further confused as the article states as much, "This leaves Red Bull and Honda with a little over two weeks before that deadline." The previous sentence speaking of the date outlined above. :confused:

I'm not sure where the error lies.
 
It seems that it's Renault who are demanding that the date is met - the regulations allow an engine change at any time during any season and also allow for a team to change the following season's engine supplier. The deadline in the rules that the article refers to implies that it's a hard-and-fast FIA requirement, it isn't. We saw last season that it definitely isn't.
 
TenEightyOne
It seems that it's Renault who are demanding that the date is met - the regulations allow an engine change at any time during any season and also allow for a team to change the following season's engine supplier. The deadline in the rules that the article refers to implies that it's a hard-and-fast FIA requirement, it isn't. We saw last season that it definitely isn't.
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Ah, a misunderstanding on all fronts then, it seems.
 
TenEightyOne
It seems that it's Renault who are demanding that the date is met - the regulations allow an engine change at any time during any season and also allow for a team to change the following season's engine supplier. The deadline in the rules that the article refers to implies that it's a hard-and-fast FIA requirement, it isn't. We saw last season that it definitely isn't.
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Reading around, the consensus is that Renault is pushing for RB to make up their mind because the partnership is tenuous to say the least. I think RB knows the time of their partnership is coming to an end and put the Honda deal with Toro Rosso in motion to see how it goes before a switch. They aren't getting a Ferrari or Mercedes engine, so Honda it is if Renault goes any more south.
 
It is entirely possible that Red Bull and a better spent research programme could succeed with Honda where McLaren, spending and testing inefficiently, failed.

But that would only further add to the Curse Of Alonso.
 
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I suppose if Red Bull really wanted to wait and see how performance plays out this season, they could just order long lead time parts for both manufacturers and pay one extra set of cost. Be only a few races from now when they should get a better idea. Maybe they already made up mind and will get announcement this month.
 
trustjab
Reading around, the consensus is that Renault is pushing for RB to make up their mind because the partnership is tenuous to say the least. I think RB knows the time of their partnership is coming to an end and put the Honda deal with Toro Rosso in motion to see how it goes before a switch. They aren't getting a Ferrari or Mercedes engine, so Honda it is if Renault goes any more south.
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And Renault are understandably pushing for a deal to be done - they don't want their late-2018 engine developments to be seen by Honda or a team that will have a close association with them in 2019.
 
Liquid
It is entirely possible that Red Bull and a better spent research programme could succeed with Honda where McLaren, spending and testing inefficiently, failed.

But that would only further add to the Curse Of Alonso.
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Especially when your Italian team has data and engineering info to help you have an easier teething time, than a team just coming into it blind.
 

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