Honda looks set to return to Formula 1 in 2015 as engine supplier to the McLaren team, according to media reports.
The Japanese manufacturer left the sport in 2008 as a constructor following poor results, although ironically the remains of the team went on to win the 2009 drivers’ and constructors’ championships as Brawn GP.
Their return has been speculated for many months with Honda president Takanobu Ito admitting they were “studying” the idea of returning to F1.
It’s well known that McLaren have been in discussions with the Japanese company as they look to free themselves from Mercedes power. Their current contract ends this season, but has options for 2014 and 2015.
Whilst the news hasn’t been confirmed by either party, it falls in line with suggestions from Renault’s Jean-Michel Jalinier, who hinted that more engine suppliers were on the horizon.
“That’s why the number of our customers will fall in the future, because there are more competitors [arriving],” he said.
The deal would reunite McLaren and Honda who enjoyed great success in the late ’80s.
