Key Changes for 2021 F1 Engines Explained

Going Out With a Bang

Honda announced last fall that it would be leaving F1 for the fourth time in an effort to focus its efforts on its road-going cars. But that doesn't mean it will be going out with a whimper. In fact, Honda seems poised to make an all-out effort to win in its final F1 season with its partners, Red Bull and AlphaTauri, and recently revealed its plans to do so.

Photos: Honda

Well Prepared

Honda's F1 technical director, Toyoharu Tanabe, noted that the automaker feels "well prepared" coming out of its winter testing. "On the dyno the numbers we have seen match what we expected," Tanabe said. "Let's see how competitive we can be on track in the actual races."

Photos: Honda

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Whole Improvements

"It is difficult to be specific about which parts have seen the most work, but in order to improve power and reliability, we have made modifications to the ICE, turbine, and ERS," Tanabe said. "This is our third year with Scuderia AlphaTauri and in order to improve as a whole, we have also improved the installation and packaging of the entire PU."

Photos: Honda

>>Join the conversation about Honda's 2021 F1 Season right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

Change of Plans

"Before the Covid-19 pandemic, we were going to introduce a new PU (power unit) for this year," Tanabe added. "However, given all the difficulties and restrictions because of the long F1 shutdown, combined with the European lockdown and delay in parts supply, we had decided to postpone it to 2022. However, taking into account the decision announced in October 2020, that Honda would leave the sport at the end of 2021, we reassessed the situation and changed our plan again to reintroduce it in 2021."

Photos: Honda

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Using Knowledge

Obviously, this put some pressure on Tanabe's team, but they managed to pull it off. "It was very tight timing to make this change, but we managed to bring forward the development and preparation program. At Honda, we felt that we really wanted to use all our technical know-how before leaving the sport."

Photos: Honda

>>Join the conversation about Honda's 2021 F1 Season right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

Right Decision

Tanabe also praised Honda's decision to let Red Bull take over its power units starting next year. "I think it is the right thing for Honda to do, considering our relationship with Scuderia AlphaTauri and Red Bull Racing, and how much Honda has benefited from those partnerships," he said. "It also reflects the importance of our role and history, as part of the world of Formula 1 over several decades. So, I am glad that Honda has been able to help the two teams and the sport in this way."

Photos: Honda

>>Join the conversation about Honda's 2021 F1 Season right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

Must-See TV

2021 may be Honda's swan song in F1, but it certainly isn't going to go away quietly. And while it's obviously a little sad to see its F1 efforts come to an end, that also makes this season must-see TV for fans of the brand.

Photos: Honda

>>Join the conversation about Honda's 2021 F1 Season right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

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