Arai: “Honda ready for Melbourne 2016”

Yasuhisa Arai has said that Honda has no regrets about its return to F1 in 2015, despite the obvious delay shown with turbo technology.

In an interview with Sport Week, the director of Honda Motorsport admitted that the most difficult period was that of the inaugural race in Melbourne: "We weren't prepared enough". “During the season we found the weak point in the engine, but we couldn't solve it in time,” added Arai.

When asked about a Honda returning to the Circus too soon, Arai was clear: “No. However, the problem would have been the experience, which requires action on the track. So we used the races in 2015 as a test and learned a lot."

For 2016, Arai promises a U-turn: “We look forward to developing the powertrain over the winter, where we will focus on reliability and improving power.”

“We know the weaknesses in our engine and they will be resolved for Melbourne 2016. The good news is that McLaren and their drivers have faith in us. We want to be ready for the 100th McLaren-Honda Grand Prix,” concluded Arai.

Piero Ladisa