The Covid restrictions in Formula 1 have now removed panel discussions from the driver press conferences. Looking back, when there was the perfect mix of drivers, it usually gave way to some of the best content. Especially when it combined Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, Sebastian Vettel and none other than Lewis Hamilton perfectly. Now that Honda was getting out of F1 once again, there was a time when Hamilton wished they’d never come back.
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Before the 2017 Australian GP in March, Lewis Hamilton and the drivers at his company were asked, “What would be your three most important wishes?” As they tossed the answers around, there were some good ideas; a race in Vegas, V12s …
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When McLaren’s Alonso wanted the same engines, Hamilton added cleverly: “I don’t agree.” Ricciardo seemed to be in favor of the idea as long as F1 stayed away from electric PUs. Hamilton added another condition: “Not Honda.”
When Alonso smiled with the Honda logo on his shirt, Hamilton cleared the air, and Daniel Ricciardo joked: “Headlines”.
Ironically, Honda severed ties with McLaren six months later and announced its partnership with Toro Rosso. The engine maker would then power Red Bull engines for five years, including Max Verstappen’s masterful RB16B.
Lewis Hamilton dodged a Honda powered car
In his years at McLaren from 2007 to 2012, the Japanese manufacturer did not drive the team. Rather, Hamilton has driven a Mercedes engine his entire career. After leaving Formula 1 for the third time, Honda found its way back in 2015.
JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA, SPAIN – JANUARY 16: Lewis Hamilton from Great Britain and McLaren Mercedes in action during a test at the Circuito de Jerez on January 16, 2008 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. (Photo by Clive Mason / Getty Images)
For the second F1 season of the V6 engine, Honda shook hands with McLaren, reviving their partnership from the 80s and 90s. However, their partnership wasn’t as successful as McLaren would have liked. In their first season together, the McLaren-Honda package finished ninth in the constructors’ battle; a P5 is the highlight of their season.
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A disappointing P9 followed the P6 on the board in 2016, clouding the relationship between the teams. The relationship ended in 2017 when the brand took over engine manufacturing for Red Bull teams. And the rest is history.
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After a successful run with Red Bull, the curtain falls once again on Honda’s time in Formula 1. Will we see the Japanese name in the game again or does Lewis Hamilton want a shooting star?
Check out this story: Who is Angela Cullen? Fun facts about Lewis Hamilton’s blonde assistant!
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https://formulaone.news/mercedes/2021-goodbye-ant-davidson-dailysportscarcom
