McLaren and Honda to split in two races (3rd Update)

Brown eyeing Mercedes power

UPDATE (GMM) The deadlines are now coming thick and fast amid the deteriorating McLaren-Honda relationship.

Reports this week suggested McLaren executive Zak Brown has imposed a 90-day deadline for Honda to up its game, but Bild newspaper claims the real ultimatum is much sooner than that.

"Bild has learned that if the Japanese do not supply a competitive engine in the next few weeks, McLaren will not end the season with Honda.

"In two more races, McLaren and Honda could divorce," it added.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport claims that because McLaren is bound by contracts, it is applying huge pressure so that it is Honda that decides to terminate the deal.

In Canada, Fernando Alonso said he is not surprised about Brown's Honda ultimatum.

"What Zak said is what you expect," said the Spaniard. "Things have to change for the team, and the same with me. So if you don't see things changing, maybe you change projects."

Indeed, it now seems almost certain that Alonso will not renew his contract beyond 2017.

"We have to win," he said. "If we are winning before September or something like that I will make a decision and I will stay."

So with the prospect of McLaren-Honda divorce now looming, it means Sauber could find itself as the factory Honda-powered team in 2018.

"We are not discussing this," team boss Monisha Kaltenborn said in Montreal.

"We do not know what the situation is with Honda and McLaren, and it's not our business. We are engaged in a very different project that has nothing to do with McLaren," she added.

06/08/17 McLaren Formula 1's partnership with Honda "has not worked so far" and the team is approaching a "fork in the road," Exec Dir Zak Brown said on Wednesday, according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS.

Brown "indicated clearly that a parting of the ways was a real option under consideration by management."

The American said that engine upgrades promised for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix "were not ready" and the Japanese manufacturer "could not say when they might be."

And while McLaren still wanted to win championships with Honda, there were "serious concerns as to whether that was achievable."

Brown said, "Honda's working very hard but they seem a bit lost. We were only told recently that we wouldn't have the upgrade coming (for Montreal) … and we don't have a definitive timeline, which is concerning because the pain is great and we can't sit around forever."

The renewed partnership with Honda in '15 was billed as a "return to the glory days."

Instead, it has brought "failure and embarrassment" to the former world champion. Brown: "The executive committee have now given us our marching orders. We're not going to go into another year like this, in hope." REUTERS

Zak Brown (R). AR1.com keeps asking, why are F1's silly engine rules so complicated that Ferrari, then Renault and now Honda struggled so much to be competitive? Is that what fans want? Of course not. The mental midgets who made these rules should all be fired.

Zak Brown (R). AR1.com keeps asking, why are F1's silly engine rules so complicated (and expensive) that Ferrari, then Renault and now Honda struggled so much to be competitive? Is that what fans want? Of course not. The mental midgets who made these rules should all be fired.

06/07/17 (GMM) Speculation McLaren and Honda could be set to split is intensifying ahead of this weekend's Canadian grand prix.

With the Japanese carmaker notably struggling since re-entering F1 with McLaren in 2015, the once-great British team is reportedly now considering breaking its contract and buying Mercedes engines for 2018.

Spain's Marca sports newspaper says new team executive Zak Brown has reached 'his limit' with Honda, while Diario Sport says a 90-day deadline has been set.

But another Spanish sports daily, AS, said McLaren's deadline will actually come sooner than that.

"AS has found that the first grand prix after the summer break (Belgium) is the limit for Brown and (Eric) Boullier, although they already expect to be competitive by Hungary," the report says.

"But the deadline is Spa," correspondent Manuel Franco claims. "If they are not at a proper level in Belgium, comfortably entering Q3 and fighting close to the top three, McLaren will decide to resume talks that have already begun with Mercedes."

Vandoorne in the McLaren Honda Friday in Spain

05/13/17 (GMM) McLaren and Honda are now on the verge of F1 divorce.

That is the sensational claim of Germany's Auto Bild, as the Anglo-Japanese team's nightmare collaboration continued in Spain with a first-lap practice failure for Fernando Alonso.

After that disastrous session, McLaren owner Mansour Ojjeh and boss Zak Brown reportedly met with Mercedes chief Toto Wolff in the Mercedes motor home.

Reportedly, they discussed a Mercedes engine deal for 2018.

"Yes, we met," Wolff confirmed, but did not elaborate.

However, Auto Bild said a plan is being devised to save face for struggling Honda, who will reportedly announce a grand plan to work exclusively with Sauber in 2018 and beyond.

But the report said legal trouble could actually follow the split, as McLaren is bound to a long-term contract. And if Honda pursues a claim, McLaren might respond by claiming damages for loss of reputation, correspondent Ralf Bach said.

As for Sauber's new Honda deal, one rumor is that the Japanese manufacturer could seek to finally improve in F1 by getting assistance from field leader Mercedes and the independent engine specialist Avl.

"We are not doing anything for Honda. That is the current status quo," said Wolff in Barcelona.

"So unless that situation changes, I don't want to contribute to rumors out there that I think are damaging for Honda. We'll see what happens."