Honda engine gets green light for Italy

The Japanese car manufacturer have spent this week weighing up whether to introduce the power unit at Monza because of the early failure the unit suffered in testing at the track last week.

However, after modifications made to the engine in light of the problem encountered by Rubens Barrichello, Honda have decided to press it into introduction this weekend rather than revert to the older specification version.

Honda Racing's senior technical director Shuhei Nakamoto told autosport.com: "As you know, Honda always push hard with engine development, which is why we will race with the latest engine here."

The new engine is a major development over the power unit used by the team up until the Turkish Grand Prix - and is primarily a step forward in terms of torque and power-delivery rather than out-and-out power.

The improvements are a result of some of the concepts that had been planned for their 2007 engine, but they have been brought in early because of the likely switch to engine homologation.

Honda want to lodge an engine with the FIA by the end of the season that features as many of these latest developments as possible. If the new engine does not complete a two-race cycle before the end of the season, then the Japanese manufacturer will have to use the version lodged after Turkey.

"If we can finish Monza and Shanghai, that will be best for 2007," said Nakamoto. "The next chance is then at Suzuka and Brazil, so there will be another update then and maybe we can then use that in 2007."

In an ideal world, Honda want to complete two races with the new engine and then run another improved version in Japan and Brazil, dubbed the 'Suzuka Special', which can then be lodged with the FIA as the basis of the power unit they have to use from the start of next season.

Nakamoto said the aim was to break the 20,000rpm barrier by the end of the season.

"It will be difficult for us, but we are trying," he said.

Super Aguri will get to use the latest version of the engine for the first time at their home Japanese Grand Prix.