Yasuaki Asaki of Honda Racing (HRC) talked about Honda’s F1 activities after withdrawing from F1 at the F1 Japan GP talk show.
Yasuaki Asaki, who was in charge of power unit development until Honda withdrew from F1 in 2021, has now handed over that role to a younger generation and now works under the title of General Manager of HRC’s Automobile Race Development Department.
“Until I won the championship, I was the head of HRD Sakura’s center and the head of what Honda calls the LPL,” said Yasuaki Asaki.
“Right now, I’m handing over the LPL to the next generation. I’ve always thought it was my job to nurture young people, and that’s why Honda races. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense.”
Honda withdrew from F1, but as HRC in 2022, it continues to manufacture and supply F1 power units for Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri. Initially, it was planned to connect until Red Bull Powertrains started operation, but after many twists and turns, it will continue to be manufactured and supplied until 2025, and from the F1 Japan GP, Red Bull / Alpha Tauri’s F1 machine Posted HONDA logo. Stop hiding behind the name HRC.
Regarding how Honda is still involved in F1, Yasuaki Asaki said as follows.
“Until now, we were doing F1 activities as Honda R&D.
“Therefore, we transferred the four-wheeled vehicle to HRC, a racing company that had been doing two-wheeled vehicles, and created a system that would allow us to continue racing. I have transferred to the company.”
“This year, it is supposed to be a Red Bull Powertrains power unit, but HRC manufactures and supplies it, so even if we withdraw, there will be no big difference in what we are doing. Of course, the flow of money. And so on, but what the engineers are doing hasn’t changed at all.”
At the F1 Japan GP, where Honda once again showed its presence with the HONDA logo, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen won the title for the second consecutive time.
Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner has asked Yasuaki Asaki to accept the Constructors’ Trophy on the podium at Suzuka Circuit. It can be said that it is unusual for a person from a manufacturer that has not officially participated in F1 to take the stage.
“With Honda confirming their participation for the next three years and winning here, only Asaki, one of the heroes behind the scenes within the Honda organization and within HRC, deserves to receive the Constructors’ Trophy today. It’s a very proud moment for everyone at HRC,” explained Horner.
“We are very grateful for the support they have given us so far and as suppliers this year they have done a great job as well. You did a great job.”
“You have to put everything together to achieve the kind of result that we got. And we did it. We did it.”
Category: F1 / honda f1 / red bull / Alpha Tauri