APRIL 7, 2002

Silly rumors

The latest mad rumor to be thrown into the F1 cauldron is that McLaren is talking to Honda about an engine supply deal.

THE latest mad rumor to be thrown into the F1 cauldron - probably from a website - is that McLaren is talking to Honda about an engine supply deal. This makes no sense at all as the TAG McLaren Group is 40% owned by Mercedes-Benz and the two companies are about to embark on a huge new program, selling the Mercedes-Benz SLR which McLaren has designed and will build for the Stuttgart manufacturer.

At the same time there is little logic in McLaren switching engine partners as the new Mercedes-Benz V10 while not exactly a match for the BMW and the Ferrari is still a better engine than the current Honda V10 - both engines are 90-degree V10s and have been under development for the same period.

One can only assume that the rumors circulating are either ill-informed or designed to disrupt McLaren, Mercedes-Benz or Honda.