Honda dropped a bombshell on the paddock on Friday morning with the news that it would depart Formula 1 at the end of 2021 – leaving Red Bull and AlphaTauri without an engine supplier just in time for the long-awaited rule change in 2022.
The Japanese manufacturer returned to the F1 grid with McLaren in 2015, enduring a painful partnership and a messy divorce before joining forces with AlphaTauri (then Toro Rosso) in 2018 and latterly the main Red Bull team at the start of last season.
The last two seasons with the two Red Bull teams have been a marked success compared to Honda’s McLaren days – having most recently won last month’s Italian Grand Prix with AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly – so why has Honda decided to turn its back on F1 again now?
Scott Mitchell explains Honda’s reasoning in our latest video, as well as discussing the seismic ramifications the news has for the future of F1, Red Bull and one of motorsport’s most sought-after drivers: Max Verstappen.
