Fernando Alonso has to revert to old-spec Honda for Austrian GP
Fernando Alonso has reverted to the 'spec 2' Honda Formula 1 engine for the remainder of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend after a problem was discovered with his McLaren's unit
Alonso's car had been fitted with the new more-powerful 'spec 3' internal combustion engine for the Red Bull Ring event, and his pace looked promising after the opening day of practice.
But overnight Honda detected a problem with the MGU-H, and a decision was taken that it could not risk running it.
With replacing individual components proving very complicated, to change the MGU-H has necessitated a change of the entire power unit back to a 'spec 2' version.
As the engine being fitted has already been used at a previous event, there will be no grid penalties.
Although the power improvements with the 'spec 3' are still not enough for the Honda to match its rivals in out-and-out straightline speed terms, there has been a boost to performance.
Top 10 pace from Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne in Friday practice, left Honda's F1 project chief Yusuke Hasegawa encouraged about the situation.
"Of course car performance is not just coming from the PU, so the chassis is also updated and it also depends on circuit characteristics," he said.
"But yeah, from the data point of view the engine also contributed to some of the lap time improvement so we are very happy about that."
Asked if he felt Honda was now on the right path, he replied: "I want to say so, but still it is too early.
"But definitely we are closing up some gap to the frontrunners but it is not huge enough to catch up the top runner level so still we need to try more."
Previous article
Carlos Sainz Jr explains comment that angered Red Bull F1 team
Next article
Vettel fastest in Austrian GP FP3 as Hamilton suffers brake failure
The floundering fortunes of F1’s many Lotus reboots
Team Lotus ceased to exist in 1994 - and yet various parties have been trying to resurrect the hallowed name, in increasingly unrecognisable forms, ever since. DAMIEN SMITH brings GP Racing’s history of the legendary team to an end with a look at those who sought to keep the flame alive in Formula 1
Why the 2021 title fight is far from F1's worst, despite its toxic background
OPINION: Formula 1 reconvenes for the Russian Grand Prix two weeks after the latest blow in ‘Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton’. While the Silverstone and Monza incidents were controversial, they thankfully lacked one element that so far separates the 2021 title fight from the worst examples of ugly championship battles
How F1’s other champion to emerge from 1991 thrived at Lotus
Mika Hakkinen became Michael Schumacher’s biggest rival in Formula 1 in the late-90s and early 2000s, having also made his F1 debut in 1991. But as MARK GALLAGHER recalls, while Schumacher wowed the world with a car that was eminently capable, Hakkinen was fighting to make his mark with a famous team in terminal decline
The forgotten F1 comeback that began Jordan’s odyssey
Before Michael Schumacher – or anyone else – had driven the 191 (or 911 as it was initially called), Eddie Jordan turned to a fellow Irishman to test his new Formula 1 car. JOHN WATSON, a grand prix winner for Penske and McLaren, recalls his role in the birth of a legend…
The squandered potential of a 70s F1 underdog
A podium finisher in its first outing but then never again, the BRM P201 was a classic case of an opportunity squandered by disorganisation and complacency, says STUART CODLING
The other notable Monza escape that F1 should learn from
OPINION: The headlines were dominated by the Italian Grand Prix crash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who had the halo to thank for avoiding potentially serious injury. But two days earlier, Formula 1 had a lucky escape with a Monza pitlane incident that could also have had grave consequences
How Monza only added more questions to F1's sprint race conundrum
With two sprint races under its belt, Formula 1 must now consider its options for them going forward. While they've helped deliver exciting racing on Sundays, the sprints themselves have been somewhat lacking - creating yet another conundrum for F1 to solve...
Who should Alfa Romeo sign for 2022's F1 season?
OPINION: With Valtteri Bottas already signed up for 2022, all eyes are on the race for the second seat at Alfa Romeo next year. Antonio Giovinazzi is the current incumbent, but faces a tough competition from appealing short and long-term prospects
