Honda is in its final year with Formula 1 and it has improved dramatically this season. One of the ways it brought about this change in luck is focusing on race starts.
Their 2021 power unit is extremely powerful. However, the Japanese manufacturer has progressed a lot in getting off the line – something that was clearly visible in Imola.
According to Honda’s F1 boss Toyoharu Tanabe, they spent time analysing what was going wrong and subsequently, the results have been impressive. He believes they did not focus on the basics enough earlier.
“We looked at the settings and the engine and analysed in detail what was going wrong,” he said.
“Imola is considered to be a power track, so I am very satisfied that we won in our final year in Formula 1 on this traditional circuit.”
Tanabe also believes that Red Bull will now be able to easily compete with the dominant Mercedes throughout the season.
“Last time, in Bahrain, we had pole position but we missed the win,” said the Japanese. “This time we missed pole position, but we got the win. So I think we are competitive.
“Winning the second race is a very positive motivation but we cannot afford any relief, especially since Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari are getting faster,” Tanabe said.
“That is why we want to keep the development going so that we do not lose our current competitive position.”
Do you think Honda can help Red Bull conquer the tracks? Let us know in the comments below!
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