Wouter wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 13:12
I have asked this elsewhere too, but also here again.
Has anyone heard from Honda Japan (on Japanese sites) or Milton Keynes
whether Honda is going to use spec 3 in Canada?
In Spa or Monza they come with the spec 4, so Canada would be a good moment.
That seems too early as Tanabe wants the Spec 2 to be used up to 7 races. No penalties will be taken with the 3rd full PU swap so it's preferential to Honda that the 3rd full PU swap be for a Spec 3. Conservatively, Honda will want to use Spec 2 for as long as required while turning up the wick during certain sessions and race conditions. But if Honda were to wait out the reliability of the engine without risking failure during a race, then it would be sensible to make that power unit change at
Silverstone. The race before the summer break is Germany and by then by Tanabe's wishes the Spec 3 will have been introduced.
My hunch is Spec 3 is close or if not ready for the unlikely event that a team has to take a PU out of cycle. Honda might even bring it to Canada just in case, or more likely further developments that can apply to both Spec 2 and 3 such as fuel and lubricants.
In Azerbaijan, the Red Bulls from Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly installed a new engine. Toyoharu Tanabe of Honda expects the engine to last seven races, provided that nothing strange happens to it.
To prevent grid penalties, it is essential that the engines can last as long as possible. Tanabe thinks that the new engine, which is now three races old, can last a total of about seven races. "Yes, I think so. And I hope so too, " the CEO tells Motorsport.com.
“But that of course also always depends on the way you use such a motor. If you do not put a lot of strain on it, the power source can make many kilometers. But if you push harder, the mileage will decrease. We are looking for the right balance. ” According to the Japanese, they aim for a service life of 5,000 to 6,000 kilometers from the Honda engine.
Tanabe thinks that the current engine needs to be replaced before the summer break, but hopes that it will then be an upgrade to Spec 3. “But that also depends on when you have to change engines. If you are confronted with a crash or engine problem, then you must grab a new engine at that time. We try to be prepared for that, as was the case with Spec 2, because we introduce it a little earlier. "
However, that may not always be the case. “We experienced a crash at Toro Rosso in China , but we didn't have a Spec 2 yet. Then we were forced to switch to an extra Spec 1. "
We're also doing some PU prep in the garages but we can't show you that
You'll just have to trust us...
