Honda technical director, Toyoharu Tanabe, has confirmed that three cars will run upgraded Spec-3 power units at the French Grand Prix.
Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly will both be getting the new unit, taking them to the limit of three ICEs before grid penalties are introduced. Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly will also get the Spec-3 engine.
Tanabe also said that improvements have been made to the turbocharger, whilst the Spec-3 engine as a whole will deliver a boost on horsepower compared to the Spec-2 version.
“At the Paul Ricard circuit we will be running an upgraded Spec 3 Power Unit on Max, Pierre and Daniil’s cars,” Toyoharu Tanabe
“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.
“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.
“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-Honda currently sit third in the pecking order in the World Constructors’ Championship on 124 points.
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