Monitoring Desk
Honda Formula 1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa has said he is “worried” about the company’s lack of reliability in the first pre-season test.
Hasegawa said McLaren’s engine supplier still did not know what had caused an engine failure during the test.
He added he could not be confident that the problems would not compromise the start of McLaren-Honda’s season.
“The mechanical issue, I don’t know enough yet to be confident about that. Of course I worry about that,” he said.
Hasegawa, who was talking to Spanish television station Movistar, said that because the cause of the failure was not yet known, Honda could not be sure what specification of engine would be used in the final pre-season test.
The plan was to use a new specification aimed at the first race of the season in Australia on 24-26 March.
The engine failure, on the second day of the test, was one of a series of problems that led Honda to use at least five engines over the course of four days in Spain.
There was an oil tank problem which led to an engine change and restricted Fernando Alonso to just 29 laps on the first day of the test.
A third new engine was fitted overnight before the Spaniard’s team-mate, StoffelVandoorne, started testing on Tuesday. But it failed after 29 laps and needed to be changed for a fourth engine that day. The Belgian was able to run again later and complete a total of 40 laps.
The Honda ran more reliably on Wednesday and Thursday but the company used at least one further engine during those two days. A spokesman would not confirm the exact number of engines used during the test.
