Engine update for Max Verstappen as Red Bull jeopardize Lewis Hamilton battle | F1 | Sports

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has downplayed fears the team won’t be as effective in 2022 after its deal with engine maker Honda ends. The Japanese giants retired from Formula One after no doubt contributing to a dramatic campaign that culminated in Max Verstappen beating Lewis Hamilton to the world title at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Honda returned to F1 in 2015, supplying its former partner McLaren, but things did not go well as the British team struggled towards the end of the grid, mainly with drive unit problems.

Despite these problems, Red Bull, unhappy with its supplier Renault, took the plunge and acquired Honda for its supplier team Toro Rosso after the partnership with McLaren ended in 2018.

Pleased with the progress made, Red Bull himself switched from Renault to Honda the following season and began a successful partnership that culminated in a first drivers’ title since the 2013 season – with Verstappen himself full of praise for the company.

Honda will now be leaving the sport to focus its resources, diverted on research and development, on zero-carbon technologies – but Horner has said it won’t mean the end of the partnership with his team.

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“We are very grateful to Honda for providing that olive branch in our transition to becoming an engine builder.

“They will come from Japan as sealed units; all race support will also come from Japan this year. It’s a technical arrangement so it’s very broad at the moment.”

While confirming the engines would be badged as Red Bull engines, Horner, 48, said critically that the same employees would be working on it after securing the services of a number of Honda employees.

“All Honda employees have the end of February [will come] to our employment,” he added.