MAY 11, 2016

Honda undecided over engine token spend

Honda says it has not decided when to deploy its tally of performance 'tokens' in 2016.

Honda says it has not decided when to deploy its tally of performance 'tokens' in 2016.

Barcelona, the first European race of the season, is traditionally the scene of big update packages and McLaren is indeed ready with an improved car.

"We hope it will be a big step forward," Yusuke Hasegawa, Honda's F1 chief, is quoted by the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial.

"I heard some of the pieces are very promising, but until we see them we will not know the exact benefit. For us, we are focusing on the ICE (engine) and the ERS," said the Japanese.

The report said Honda still has 14 FIA 'tokens' - a system to be scrapped altogether for 2017 - to spend across this season.

"From a tactical point of view we do not want to use tokens for small improvements," Hasegawa said.

"We want to use them effectively, but we will have to carefully analyse the exact results of the developments," he added.

(GMM)