Sauber has cancelled its engine deal with Honda for 2018 following speculation in recent weeks that the deal may be off.
Sauber pull the plug on 2018 engine deal with Honda
Sauber and Honda agreed on an engine deal two months ago for 2018, which would mean that they would no longer use the one-year old Ferrari power units that they currently use. According to Honda, the termination of the planned partnership with the team is a result of “differences in the future direction between Honda and Sauber”.
The deal between Sauber and Honda was spearheaded by Monisha Kaltenborn, however, since then, there has been a change in leadership, with Frederic Vasseur now being at the helm. The chief of Honda, Masashi Yamamoto, has suggested that this may be the result of the deal breaking down.
“During discussions after management changes at the team, we reached a mutual agreement to call-off the project due to differences in the future directions of both parties,” he said.
Despite the deal breaking down, Yamamoto continued: “Honda’s passion for motorsports and strong commitment to Formula One remains unchanged.”
Talking about this breakdown, Frederic Vasseur said that “It is very unfortunate that we have to discontinue the planned collaboration with Honda at this stage. However, this decision has been made for strategic reasons, and with the best intent for the future of the Sauber F1 Team in mind. We would like to thank Honda for their collaboration, and wish them all the best for their future in Formula One.”
Since this deal, a big question has been left over who will supply Sauber with engines for 2018. The most logical choice would be to seek Mercedes power for next season due to the superior performance that it has, however, this will be an expensive option. Alternatively, Sauber could continue to use Ferrari power, although this could mean that Sauber will drift around at the back of the field again – something that the Swiss outfit cannot afford for another season.
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