Williams: Factory Team for Honda in 2018?

Williams have been tipped to ditch Mercedes as their engine suppliers and form a new partnership with Honda, according to reports.

Roger Benoit, Formula 1 correspondent for Swiss newspaper Blick, believes Williams could make the move which would see them become the new works team for Honda while also paving the way for McLaren to re-join Mercedes for the start of the 2018 season.

“Williams, who has been driving with Mercedes-Power since 2014, is planning to launch 2018 as a factory team for Honda,” Benoit wrote.

Williams used Honda engines from 1983 to 1987 and, during that time period, won 24 races with Nelson Piquet winning a third World Championship title.

Benoit also warned that Mercedes have to be wary of collaborating with McLaren again.

"The final question is whether the Silver Arrows actually want to revert to such a dangerous rival as McLaren," Benoit added.

"For Sauber, the outcome really does not matter, as they will remain Honda's number 2 team next year," he added.

McLaren have issued a final ultimatum to Honda following their failure to deliver a engine upgrade at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Williams linked with Honda switch - report | PlanetF1 : PlanetF1

 

Good luck to that.

JUNE 19, 2017

Williams key to McLaren-Honda split?



Williams has emerged as the potential key to fellow British team McLaren's Honda divorce.

Blick newspaper's veteran correspondent Roger Benoit reports that Williams could drop its customer Mercedes engine deal for 2018 in order to become the new works Honda team.

That would clear the way for McLaren and Honda to split, with the Woking team reviving its former collaboration with Mercedes.

Benoit wrote: "The final question is whether the Silver Arrows actually want to revert to such a dangerous rival as McLaren?

"For Sauber, the outcome really does not matter, as they will remain Honda's number 2 team next year," he added.

Meanwhile, although attending Le Mans to oversee his own team United Autosports, McLaren executive Zak Brown's presence at the fabled sports car race at the weekend turned heads.

Marca, a Spanish sports daily, speculated that not only Brown but also McLaren team boss Eric Boullier was there to perhaps look into a Le Mans project for McLaren and Fernando Alonso.

"I'm sure Fernando is going to race at Le Mans one day," Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen said.

Another rumour is that F1 CEO Chase Carey and FIA president Jean Todt may have had talks at the weekend about wooing Le Mans competitors Porsche and Toyota to F1 for the new 2021 engine formula.

McLaren's Boullier said at Le Mans: "We are a great technology company, so why not offer our services to Le Mans participants, not necessarily as a competitor?"

 

All that is very hard to believe, but in F1 you never know: anything can happen.

 

Good for Sauber. Now they got somebody to commiserate next year

 

You have to believe that Honda has to get it right now...but I've been saying that for too long now!

However: Presumably they'll at least get their engines for free, and Stroll will be paid for also (and he'll have a nice excuse for **** performance!). Come 2019-2020, whenever they'll do the new, simpler engines (presumably they'll want to get it done quicker), building a competitive engine will be easier, and that's when it'll look like a smart move.

 

Good news for Stroll! His teammate will no longer qualify 10 spots ahead of him!

 

Now with Lowe at the helm (chassis and aero wise) and the free cash(sorta), it means Williams quite possibly will be a factory team next year and Sauber a Honda customer team.

 

Yes they will both be on the last two rows of the grid along with the Saubers.

It seems that McLaren have designated Fernando as their key employee, Williams is happy to take anyone's cash with scant expectation of success. Between Stroll and Honda, Team Williams should survive until the formula change; hopefully they will again find(and pursue) glory.

 

iT COULD BE A GOOD THING, mCLAREN DID THE WORST YEARS, THEY WILL BE MOREE XPERIENCED AND EBEN MORE EAGGER TO SUCCEED...maybe williams can profit from Mclaren horrible experience..and as Mclaren believed, it will probably be teh only chance to chalenge for teh title..could be Williams comeback..as long as they sack Stroll..

 

This is a smart move for Williams. They will never compete with their budget as a customer Merc team...if they get free Honda engines and a bunch of money with official works status, they will be in good shape when Honda gets things sorted. Plus they will have a much bigger budget for aero and drivers if they're not paying millions to Merc

 

I think Honda is one year away from having "a competitive" engine. That doesn't mean better than Merc or Ferrari but close enough to not embarrass itself like Renault.

The are fighting three things

1) a lack of power
2) poor fuel economy
3) a lack of reliability

Solving one thing at one time quickly is bad enough. Two at the same time is worse. Three makes it darn near impossible

If Mac drops Honda and Williams gets a similar good deal of free or reduced cost engines, it could work out well for them. But it's a horrible risk given where Honda is today.

 

Good for Williams. I would be doing the same thing.

McLaren has took the financial hit the last three years. Surly to god Honda will get their **** together next year or two. Williams is a former shadow of its self knowing it will NEVER beat Mercedes using a Mercedes engine......they can't even beat Force India using a Mercedes engine.

If McLaren leaves Honda I fear they will be right where Williams is right now using a Mercedes engine.

 

Which is far better than where they are now.

Frank Williams must have a death wish associating his team with Honda.

 

Sad times...Williams used to be a winner and now they are doing whatever just to stay alive. The pay driver like Stroll and now free/heavily discounted engines with Honda. Honda hasn't gotten their engines sorted after 3 seasons and no signs of it getting any better...I don't think this will be a good move for Williams but I suppose it's better than shutting their doors.

 

Stroll with Honda power? Why even bother?

 

It´s a risk, but Williams looks stuck right now. They´ve been going down since 2014, now are being regularly beaten by the other Mercedes customer, and their finances must not be too strong if they had to put the sTroll in the car.

And for God´s sake, sooner or later Honda is going to deliver, they can´t be sooo bad.

 

Williams' decline started well before 2014, IMO.

It has been a decade at least since they won anything, apart from Maldonado's lucky GP.

Williams has stopped attracting top drivers too.

 

And then in 2018, Fernando Alonso will finish many Grand Prix on the third step on the podium with his McLaren-mercedes, just behind the factory Mercedes; the winner being his ol'team mate Felipe Massa with his Williams-Honda. Brillant...

Rgds

 

Well, Williams decline started in 2005.

But in 2014 they were quite often right behind the Mercedes works team, and now they're mid-fielders again so it doesn't seem that keeping the Mercedes engines is a safe bet for them anymore.

 

McLaren had the right idea. Being the "factory team" for Honda they would have an advantage on the field. The only thing is, Honda didn't deliver . . . . yet. So if McLaren ditches Honda there should be no shortage of other teams willing to take the same gamble, hoping they (Honda) get it right when the lump is under their bonnet.

Let's face it, no one is going to beat Mercedes using their engines while the Mercedes factory team exists. Go for it, Williams.

 

Only thing is can Williams put up with another 1 or 2 years of grief?It's a real roll of the dice.

If they had a top driver in there i think it would now be right up there with RBR already.

 

Alonso will end up on the podium at an Indycar race

 

Williams deny reports of 2018 Honda engine talks

McLaren-Honda on the rocks but Claire Williams insists "we are not a cause of the break-up" after report claimed 2018 deal with them.

Williams are not considering switching to Honda power for 2018, according to Claire Williams.

Williams deny reports of 2018 Honda engine talks | F1 News

 

THere was nothing lucky about that win

 

bet?