The engine which Fernando Alonso used in the Singapore Grand Prix can be reused despite incurring crash damage, according to Honda.
Alonso made a strong getaway at the Marina Bay Street Circuit and briefly placed third before becoming involved in a crash with Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen.
While Alonso pressed on, the damage to his MCL32 was severe and a hole in his exhaust and failing electronics eventually forced a retirement.
After the race, Honda had been concerned that the initial impact and subsequent running had put too much strain on the power unit.
Honda was worried it would have to be removed from Alonso’s pool of available components, which would have prompted the end for a new engine that would have incurred grid penalties.
Speaking ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix, Honda’s F1 engine chief Yusuke Hasegawa said the engine was fit for further use after an examination at the Japanese manufacturer’s base.
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“We were concerned that it may have been irreparably damaged, but fortunately after a thorough check back at the Sakura factory we can confirm it is okay to be reused,” explained Hasegawa.
While McLaren had a strong showing in Singapore, as Alonso’s team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne finished the race in seventh, the team expects a tough time in Malaysia this weekend due to the Sepang circuit’s long straights.
“The configuration will work less in our favour, but of course we will still fight for everything,” said Alonso.
“There are six races left and we are still putting all our energy in finishing every race in the best possible position we can.
“Sepang will be more difficult for us in terms of set-up since the straights require good straight-line speed and power, but this track is a mixture of a lot of different characteristics, so we’ll see how much we can make up on the slower-speed corners.
“The 2017 cars will definitely be faster through there, which will surely be fun to experience, and I hope we can avoid any drama and have a solid race.”
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