Honda confirms F1 return and McLaren engine deal for 2015 season

Honda will return to Formula 1 as an engine supplier and reunite with McLaren from 2015, the Japanese manufacturer giant has officially confirmed.

"Ever since its establishment, Honda has been a company which grows by taking on challenges in racing," Takanobu Ito said. "Honda has a long history of advancing our technologies and nurturing our people by participating in the world's most prestigious automobile racing series. The new F1 regulations with their significant environmental focus will inspire even greater development of our own advanced technologies and this is central to our participation in F1. "We have the greatest respect for the FIA's decision to introduce these new regulations that are both highly challenging but also attractive to manufacturers that pursue environmental technologies and to Formula One Group, which has developed F1 into a high value, top car racing category supported by enthusiastic fans. "We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr Jean Todt, the President of FIA and to Mr Bernie Ecclestone, the CEO of Formula One Group who showed great understanding and cooperation to help realize our participation in F1 racing." Indeed, McLaren's press release contained words of congratulations from both Ecclestone and Todt, with the latter saying: "I am very happy to hear about Honda's important decision to return to Formula 1 with McLaren from 2015. "The introduction of the new powertrain next year, in the form of a 1.6-litre V6 engine with direct injection and energy recovery, is a very exciting challenge and demonstrates a vision for the future of the sport. "I am sure that Honda will become a strong contender in years to come." The flip side of the deal means that McLaren will only run current partner, and former shareholder, Mercedes' new engines for one solitary year of F1's new V6 turbo engine regulation era, the two parties having been together since 1995. The partnership has won three drivers' world titles, the 1998 constructors' crown and 78 races in its 19 seasons to date and Whitmarsh made clear that McLaren were focused on continuing that winning tradition during the relationship's final 18 months. "It's appropriate to recognise that until the end of 2014 we'll maintain a full commitment to our existing and long-standing partner, Mercedes-Benz, for which we retain the utmost respect and with whom we intend to continue to work diligently and professionally," the McLaren chief added. "McLaren-Mercedes has so far won an incredible 78 grands prix and four world championships. We aim to cap our long-standing partnership with the same ambition and resolve with which we began it: namely, to keep winning."