Honda has no plans to supply more than one team in 2015 when it returns to Formula 1, according to Honda’s head of motorsport, Yasuhisa Arai.
The Japanese company announced it would return as a supplier to McLaren next year, but failed to confirm whether it would look at supplying a second team.
Arai confirmed during an FIA press conference on Friday that McLaren will be their sole focus, even hinting that they may not look at supplying other customers until “after 2016”.
“So, for year 2015, McLaren is our only customer,” he said. “I don’t think about the future, because we want to concentrate on next season.
“Of course we want to have good results next season and see the results from other manufacturers. If teams want to use our engine or power unit, we can deliver after year 2016 but right now there are no plans.”
Arai also explained Honda’s reasons for returning to F1 after pulling out at the end of 2008.
“One of the major reasons for our decision was the new regulation introduced this year and that the various environment… I mean green technologies in the new F1 power unit, as well as the total energy management are both very challenging and significant.
“The new regulations encourage each power unit supplier to pursue the ultimate combustions efficiency and high pressure direct injections. Thus the challenge is to convert each unit of gasoline into energy and this is expected to be reflected on the huge production mode.”
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