Honda chief Yusuke Hasegawa believes the Japanese manufacturer’s progress in Formula 1 will be accelerated if it supplies a second team in 2018.
Honda has exclusively partnered with McLaren since returning to Formula 1 at the start of 2015, but has achieved limited results, with the outfit finishing sixth in last year's standings.
The operation has endured a challenging opening to 2017, amid a lack of performance and reliability, with Stoffel Vandoorne already facing a 15-place grid penalty in Russia this weekend after using a fifth MGU-H and Turbocharger, exceeding his allocation in only the fourth event.
Alongside its own manufacturer squads, rivals Mercedes (Force India and Williams), Ferrari (Haas and Sauber) and Renault (Red Bull and Toro Rosso) all supply multiple teams.
Hasegawa reckons Honda’s predicament would be aided if it can supply another team for 2018.
“From the start of this Formula 1 activity we committed to supporting this Formula 1 society,” Hasegawa explained.
“So from that point of view it is duty and we have to support multiple teams, and also we are thinking it will give us some benefit to have multiple teams.
“Because we will have more data and more chance to make the car running [on track], so we don’t deny it to have a second or third team.”
On Honda’s negotiations with a potential customer outfit, Hasegawa replied: “We are talking with various teams but at this moment unfortunately we have nothing to say here.”
Engine manufacturers must notify their intention to supply for the following season by May 6, while an announcement of the teams they intend to supply must be made by May 15.
