F1 | Honda claims that its rivals are playing down the impact that the new E10 fuel will have on the engines
Honda’s Ysuaki Asagi has stated that Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault have been deliberately downplaying the challenges that all four manufacturers face in recovering power that has been lost by the sport switching to a new sustainable fuel for 2022.
Honda has claimed that its rivals are intentionally playing down the challenge that all four engine manufacturers face in recovering power that will be lost with the sport's new E10 fuel.
In an attempt to be more sustainable, Formula 1 has introduced the E10 fuel for 2022, which contains 90 per cent fossil fuels and 10 per cent ethanol. This change of fuel was expected to cause a loss of power, but many manufacturers have indicated that they have recovered the losses.
However, Honda's Yasuaki Asagi disagrees with that statement when Motorsport.com asked him about how much power will be lost because of the new fuel.
“That's a secret; it seems that other companies say it's about the same but, on the contrary, making such an announcement means that it's difficult to get the same power as last year.”
“The response to E10 fuel is the largest (challenge), the engine architecture had already been set (with the new 2021 power unit), so we have made changes to bring out the best performance with E10 fuel. When it comes to E10 fuel, the power and energy that it has with the same weight are reduced. That is the characteristic of alcohol fuel.”
Honda's influence in Formula 1 will be dramatically reduced this year as the Sakura based company commences their first year on the sidelines after announcing their departure from the sport in September 2020. But after an engine freeze was introduced at the start of the 2021 season, Honda made a stunning U-turn over the winter of this year after Helmut Marko confirmed that the company would continue to produce engines for both Alpha Tauri and Red Bull until 2025.
To further emphasize the strength of the relationship between the two companies, Honda's former managing director Masashi Yamamoto will set up a consultancy firm in order for him to liaise with both parties.
Asagi also confirmed that Honda's development of the 2022 power unit had been completed in the latter stages of last year.
“We are aiming for maximum efficiency, but with E10 fuel, the power of the engine will also decrease, and the amount of power generation will also decrease. There are always small details and corrections if there are problems, but if you hadn't finished the concept or the basics by the end of last year, you would not be in time for the season.”
