Engine customers no fix for Honda troubles

Mar.27 (GMM) Adding a customer or two to its roster would not speed up Honda's F1 programme.

That is the claim of Yasuhisa Arai, who was asked if the fact Honda is working exclusively for McLaren this year is one reason the Japanese marque is struggling.

Indeed, Ferrari has two customers (Sauber and Manor) on the books, while Renault supplies both Red Bull-owned teams.

Pacesetter Mercedes, on the other hand, works with Williams, Lotus and Force India, effectively quadrupling the data fed back to the German marque's engineers.

But Honda's Arai insists: "I do not think having other teams would simplify our recovery.

"We work with McLaren and have enough data to develop in the right direction," he is quoted by Italy's Autosprint.

However, Arai said Honda is open to supplying its turbo V6 to a customer, although "right now we do not have any offer from another team".