Adrian Newey provides further revelations about Hondas engines struggles, Team already at limit on available batteries in Melbourne after tough first day; watch Australian GP qualifying at 5am on Saturday and the first race of the season at 4am on Sunday on Sky Sports F1
It’s stark. The engine vibrates so violently it is literally shaking the car apart. Any issues with the chassis are undetectable because the car is incapable of running enough to expose them before the components are broken by the engine. The current issue is the batteries are being destroyed by the vibrations. They have only the ones currently installed left. There’s no hiding from it. The engine is horrifically bad. It is the limiting factor at the moment.
AM are the customer, and they’ve been sold unworkable goods. Its their right to attribute their struggles appropriately.
Yes, fair comment. If they have to retire the car because it’s shaking itself and the drivers to the point of failure, questions will be asked. So some of this is getting on the front foot and manage expectations. But I am baffled how how naive AM could be regarding the strength of Honda coming back into the fold as an engine supplier. It’s more likely they were set to struggle than not given they’re essentially in a rebuilding phase having lost personnel to RB.
As you say, the vibration issue is potentially masking any other problems, and Newey seems to think that the chassis is a step ahead of others, but we won’t really know until this is resolved. And the lack of running is doubly punishing in terms of gathering data and insight. I guess I’m just wary because this feels very similar to the McLaren & Honda situation where Honda carried all the blame, only to find that McLaren had other performance issues outside of the PU.
I think it’s more the PU is shaking itself apart more specifically. As in the ICE vibrations are damaging the battery. That’s all Honda’s purview. AM might have made a good car and gotten a shit PU from their partner, and that super sucks.
It’s stark. The engine vibrates so violently it is literally shaking the car apart. Any issues with the chassis are undetectable because the car is incapable of running enough to expose them before the components are broken by the engine. The current issue is the batteries are being destroyed by the vibrations. They have only the ones currently installed left. There’s no hiding from it. The engine is horrifically bad. It is the limiting factor at the moment.
AM are the customer, and they’ve been sold unworkable goods. Its their right to attribute their struggles appropriately.
Yes, fair comment. If they have to retire the car because it’s shaking itself and the drivers to the point of failure, questions will be asked. So some of this is getting on the front foot and manage expectations. But I am baffled how how naive AM could be regarding the strength of Honda coming back into the fold as an engine supplier. It’s more likely they were set to struggle than not given they’re essentially in a rebuilding phase having lost personnel to RB.
As you say, the vibration issue is potentially masking any other problems, and Newey seems to think that the chassis is a step ahead of others, but we won’t really know until this is resolved. And the lack of running is doubly punishing in terms of gathering data and insight. I guess I’m just wary because this feels very similar to the McLaren & Honda situation where Honda carried all the blame, only to find that McLaren had other performance issues outside of the PU.
I think it’s more the PU is shaking itself apart more specifically. As in the ICE vibrations are damaging the battery. That’s all Honda’s purview. AM might have made a good car and gotten a shit PU from their partner, and that super sucks.
Totally agree with you. Doesn’t look good!
How is that possible? Excessive vibrations should be equally noticeable on a test unit even if not mounted inside a car