Honda open to supplying two more F1 customers

Honda is willing to supply up two more F1 teams next year if it is required to do so under the sport's recent engine agreement.

Last year McLaren prevented Honda from brokering a deal to supply Red Bull with engines for 2016, but the regulations for 2017 will include an "obligation to supply" as part of the homologation process.

As a result, Honda could be forced into a second or third engine deal next year and the company's F1 boss, Yusuke Hasegawa, says provisions are being made for such a scenario.

"So far we haven't any plans but we have already promised the FIA that we would have the potential to supply a second or third teams," he said. "We are preparing that, but there are no concrete plans."

Another part of the engine agreement was a decision to scrap the engine token system next year, which currently limits the amount of upgrades a manufacturer can bring to the track each year. It was designed to put a regulatory brake on spending and prevent an arms race over engine development, but it will be abandoned next year in an effort to encourage performance convergence. Meanwhile, manufactures will have to reduce the cost of engine supply deals by 1 million euros next year and 3 million euros by 2018.

"We are happy to have removed the tokens for next season so we can have more freedom for the development which is good," he said. "Cost reduction is very tough for every manufacturer but we are happy and agree about that." Laurence Edmondson/ESPN.CO.UK