Red Bull is willing to take engine penalties during the 2019 Formula 1 season to capitalise on any development gains made by new power unit supplier Honda. 

Having ended its long-term partnership with Renault in a bid to get back into F1 championship contꦉention and close the gap to rivals Mercedes and Ferrari, the Milton Keynes squad has followed sister team Toro R🐎osso in taking on Honda engines for the upcoming season. 

Team principal Christian Horner claimed the Japanese engine manufacturer has provided Red Bull with its 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:best-ever installation, describing Honda’s new power unit as a “thing of beaut𒁏y”. 

Asked if Red Bull would be willing to take grid drops in 2019 for enhanced engine development, Horner rꩲeplied: “Yes I think if it makes sense. 

“You saw in previous years if you pi🍒ck the penalties at the right venues. 

“In Russia last year Max was already back✃ in the top five by lap six s༒o if you pick the right venue and assists the development of the power unit then strategically you can lessen the pain."

Honda enjoyed a strong💟 start to pre-season testing by completing the most mileage of any engine manufacturer across the first week in Barcelona, with Red Bull left encouraged by its progress. 

“I think Honda have had a good winter and certainly they are reducing that gap significantly but of course w🐼hat you don’t know is what the others have done," Horner explained. 

“If they have found another 50kw then we’ve gꦗot a big issue. We’ve been very impressed by the approach of Honda and the progress that they’ve made. 

“For us it’s a vital piece of the jigsaw to get♐ us into a competitive position not just for this year but for next year and potentially beyond.”

Horner ꦫhopes Red Bull can ta൲ke advantage of Pierre Gasly’s experience of the Honda power unit from his time at Toro Rosso prior to his promotion. 

“I think it’s given him a good combination of knowledge so he knows the strengths and weaknesses and is able to focus the eng𓆉ineering team on that,” Horner said. 

“I think it’s only a positive that he brings that experience and data bank of knowled🧜ge with him.

“The expectation for us is very much to ma🀅ke progress,” he added. “New year, new 💎regulations, new engine partner, new driver. 

“Our objective is to try and close that gap between ourselves and Mercedes and Ferrari, and try and achie💙ve a more consistent performance a variants of circuits. 

“Previously our strengths were at circuits that were very chassis focused but we’re hopeful with the changes that we’ve made that we will be able to 🏅have a more consistent season acro✨ss a variants of circuits.”