Red Bull F1 team to use Honda engines

Red Bull F1 team to use Honda engines from next season

by Staff Writer 19-06-2018 | 8:21 PM
REUTERS - Red Bull will use Honda engines next season in a switch that marks the final severing of a once-dominant Formula One partnership with Renault that turned sour. "After careful consideration and evaluation, we are certain this partnership with Honda is the right direction for the team," Red Bull Racing principal Christian Horner said in a statement announcing the deal for 2019 and 2020. Red Bull won four drivers' and constructors' championships in a row with Sebastian Vettel, now at Ferrari, and Renault between 2010 and 2013. The pairing also won 47 races before the current V6 turbo hybrid power units were introduced but Renault's struggles with the new format stretched the relationship to breaking point and the British-based team now brand their engines, Tag Heuer. Honda also had their difficulties, switching to Red Bull's junior team Toro Rosso this season after a failed three-year partnership with McLaren ended in mutual recrimination. McLaren now uses Renault power units, but their car has still under-performed Red Bull.