Red Bull engine partner to leave F1 at end of 2021

Honda said the move was a result of the transformation of the car industry away from internal combustion engines.

The move leaves Red Bull and Alpha Tauri needing to find an engine supplier and the sport with just three engine companies.

Red Bull Racing need to look for a new engine ready for the 2022 season. The team have been told that Honda will stop the Formula 1 project at the end of 2021 and Christian Horner is very disappointed.

“As a Team we understand how difficult it has been for Honda Motor Company to reach the decision to step back from Formula One at the end of the 2021 season. The shifting focus within the automotive industry has led to Honda’s decision to re-deploy their resources and we understand and respect the reasoning behind this,” 

Horner begins in Red Bull’s statement.

“Their decision presents obvious challenges for us as a Team but we have been here before and with our strength in depth we are well prepared and equipped to respond effectively, as we have proven in the past.”

“Whilst we are disappointed not to continue our partnership with Honda, we are enormously proud of our joint success, delivering five wins and 15 podiums for both Red Bull owned teams and we thank everyone at Honda for their extraordinary efforts and commitment.”

“Our joint focus for the remainder of the 2020 and 2021 seasons are unchanged, to fight for victories and challenge for the championship. As a signatory to Formula One’s latest Concorde Agreement, Red Bull Racing remains committed to the sport in the long term and we look forward to embarking on a new era of innovation, development and success. As a group, we will now take the time afforded to us to further evaluate and find the most competitive power unit solution for 2022 and beyond,”

concluded the Red Bull team principal.

Honda returned to F1 in 2015 and spent a difficult three years with McLaren, with both engine and car not at a competitive level.

The company switched to Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso for 2018 and then Red Bull itself for 2019, and have won a total of five grands prix over the last two years.

Source: bbc.com; gpblog.com