The FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) have ruled that Honda’s Malaysian Grand Prix engine upgrade required fewer engine tokens than previously thought.
McLaren’s engine supplier applied for a token to improve the engine and the lightweight exhaust which will be used for Fernando’s Alonso’s car, and according to Autosport, the FIA believed that the token was used for reliability rather than performance which meant the upgrade used less tokens than originally declared.
The FIA requested a document showing that the token was use for reliability rather than performance, and as such, Honda have two more engine tokens remaining, although they do not plan on using them in final four races of the season.
After a disappointing race for McLaren Honda in Japan the home of their engine suppliers Honda, McLaren plan on fitting a new engine block for Jenson Button’s car for the United States Grand Prix in two weeks time, and this is likely to result in a grid penalty for the race.
McLaren Honda struggled in Japan with Alonso and Jenson Button finishing sixteenth and eighteenth respectively. Honda were expecting big things in front of their home crowd but they failed to deliver leaving McLaren scratching their heads.
With two weeks till Austin, McLaren have time to reflect on Japan and prepare for a challenging race in Austin, which again may not suit their power unit, but anything can happen at the Circuit of the Americas.
