Honda exit will be a ‘loss’ to F1 – Christian Horner

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is already lamenting the loss of Honda from F1 at the end of the year following the Japanese manufacturer’s resurgence.

Honda has played a key role in turning Red Bull into title contenders this season as it has helped propel the team to four consecutive victories and five in eight races.

The four in a row is the first time Honda has achieved the feat since 1991 when the late, great Ayrton Senna took the chequered flag in the opening quartet of races that year with McLaren.

But Honda has less than six months of its partnership with Red Bull to run before it pulls out of F1, although the team will continue to run its engines.

With the alliance in the ascendancy now, Horner said: “It will be tremendously sad to see them leave at the end of the year.

“They have been a great partner for us to work with, they have been supportive as they have set up our Red Bull Powertrains.

“We have obviously utilised their technology moving forwards but it has been a great relationship and we will be sad to see them leave F1. I think it will be a loss for F1 at the end of the year.”