Honda will not hire outside help to boost F1 effort with McLaren

McLaren and Honda have scored just three points in nine races since reviving the partnership that won multiple F1 world championships in the late-1980s and early '90s.

Honda's new V6 turbo hybrid engine has proved unreliable and uncompetitive compared to the leading power units produced by rivals Mercedes and Ferrari, but Honda motorsport boss Yasuhisa Arai said his company wouldn't look to bolster its operation by poaching engineers with greater experience of F1's current engine rules from rival manufacturers.

When asked whether Honda would look to hire experience from Mercedes or Ferrari, Arai replied: "I don't think so. We have enough resources already."

Arai also re-affirmed his commitment to helping turn the project's fortunes around, saying he believes he is the right man to lead Honda's F1 team, despite its poor start.

"I want to lead my programme by myself," he said.

"We must make the step we are able to take each year.

"I promise it's a long-term project for Honda."

LACK OF SUCCESS 'DAMAGING' MCLAREN

McLaren had not won a race since the final grand prix of the 2012 season, and hasn't had a title sponsor since the expiry of its deal with Vodafone at the end of 2013.

The team's racing director Eric Boullier said this on-going run of poor results was making it more difficult to secure sponsors.

"The damage is obviously easy to understand," he said.

"You establish a brand by your success and repeated success. I think McLaren, by the number of wins and championships, has clearly established a brand of excellence.

Boullier said McLaren would have to find a way to cover the shortfall in commercial rights income that comes from several seasons of consecutive underachievement, but insisted the team would be back to winning ways before it would have to consider downsizing.

When asked how long the team could sustain a multi-million pound shortfall in commercial revenue, Boullier replied: "So far we have a good forecast for the next year, but it [the lack of success] is going to hurt us in terms of revenue and we must find a way to cover this."

HONDA MUST DO MORE

Boullier also admitted work is needed to better align McLaren and Honda's respective objectives, as the renewed partnership evolves.

"It's true there is a timing issue, because Honda is in Formula 1 but its main business is selling cars; we are in Formula 1 to win races, so we have to make sure the timing of both projects is aligned," Boullier added.

"This has been discussed many times already.

"We put pressure on Honda, because we need more performance from the package - car and engine - and today much more than 50 per cent will come from the power unit.

"Everybody knows this. We know this; they know this. I keep telling Arai-san, every day, we need to be successful as soon as possible."