Yasuhisa Arai says "nothing has been decided yet" despite Bernie Ecclestone's suggestion that Ron Dennis will block any Red Bull deal
Monday 2 November 2015 11:07, UK
Red Bull’s chances of sourcing a supply of Honda’s engines for 2016 may not yet be over after the Japanese firm indicated that talks remain “ongoing” after receiving an approach.
With Red Bull's options to source an engine and stay in the sport beyond the end of this season running out, following the refusal of Mercedes and Ferrari to supply them with their 2016 units and the breakdown of their relationship with Renault, reports emerged over the US GP weekend that the former champions had made an informal approach to Honda, who currently supply engines to McLaren only.
However, such a tie-up appeared to be a non-starter after Bernie Ecclestone, F1's ringmaster, suggested that although Honda were keen on helping Red Bull out, McLaren chairman Ron Dennis was not and had the power to block any such deal.
But speaking at the Mexican GP on Friday, Honda motorsport boss Yasuhisa Arai, while not naming Red Bull directly, indicated that those talks were not dead yet.
"We have been approached by a team, but discussions are ongoing. Nothing has been decided," he said.
"I've always said this season that we are always open [to supplying another team], so discussions are ongoing."
Although an official announcement confirming Red Bull and Renault's long-expected divorce has not been forthcoming - leaving room to suggest that a reconciliation could yet be possible - the fact the team have turned to Honda, currently the least competitive of F1's four engine suppliers, appears to underline their increasingly precarious position.
Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz has previously indicated that the company would decide by the end of October whether or not they would continue in F1 into 2016. The Austrian billionaire has made clear that a 'competitive' engine is key to them staying on the grid.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ at the Mexican GP, Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo predicted that some kind of decision would be taken in the coming weeks.
"As long as it takes is probably the answer!" he said. "Sure, if you want to put a real deadline on it, you want to know something by Christmas. But that's still a long way away so you'd think something's going to happen before then. Just to start setting targets and sights on 2016.
"We'll figure it out. I'm in limbo as well because it's not really in my control. Sure, I'm a big part of the team but making these decisions is not my area."
