Three of the four Honda powered drivers will receive a new spec engine ahead of this weekend’s French Grand Prix.
Both Red Bull drivers and Daniil Kvyat are all set to boast a ‘Spec 3’ power unit for the race, which Honda’s technical director Toyoharu Tanabe says features improvements to the combustion engine and turbo.
“We will be running an upgraded Spec 3 Power Unit on Max, Pierre and Daniil’s cars,” Tanabe explained.
“The changes to the previous specification are mainly around the ICE and the turbocharger.
“In this instance, our engineers at the Sakura, Japan R&D facility have worked closely with other departments within Honda, specifically the aero engine development department.
“Their work and ours has many common technical features. For example, our 2018 update to the MGU-H, which dramatically improved its reliability, came as a result of our collaboration with them.
“In producing this Spec 3 PU, we have updated the turbocharger thanks to the knowledge and technology of the aero engine department in the area of aerodynamic design, working alongside turbocharger manufacturer IHI.”
According to Tanabe, the new power unit boasts improved horsepower figures over the previous specification, though concedes it’s still not on par with the likes of Mercedes.
“Our test bench data shows a power increase over the previous version of our PU, however we know that we have not yet matched the figures from the manufacturers currently leading the championship,” Tanabe added.
“But it’s a step in the right direction and we will continue our development throughout the rest of the season, calling on the resources of the whole company.”
Red Bull is the highest placed of the two Honda powered teams, sitting third in the constructors standings with 124 points.
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