Red Bull 相信，即便今年搭載 Honda PU ，仍能獲得勝利，因為 Honda 和 Renault 只
有「1%」以內的差距。
https://i.imgur.com/McU0dBF.jpg
在 Red Bull 宣布 2019 賽季將脫離 Renault 並和 Honda 合作之前，Daniel Ricciardo
分別在中國以及摩納哥取得分站冠軍，儘管曾遭遇到 MGU-K 的受損。
而在這個月初，Max Verstappen 驚奇地取得奧地利分站冠軍之前，Christian Horner 對
Mortorsport.com 說道：「假設我們今年使用 Honda 的動力單元，我們的表現會和現在
差不了多少。」
「我們仍能贏下我們該得的勝利」Horner說道，「透過實際的量測，Honda 和我們目前的
供應商比較，差距已經在 1% 以內。」
「雖然要追擊 Ferrari 和 Mercedes 仍然有顯著的差距，但有了 Honda 這般可以全神貫
注在我們身上的供應商，而事實上 Renault 也將重心擺在旗下廠隊，我們之間的關係也
越來越像一般的客戶，所以是時候要走一條不一樣的路了。」
Horner 很明確地指出 Red Bull 想脫離客戶狀態的需求，並希望能成為相當於正廠隊的
車隊。
目前 Red Bull 也透過 Toro Rosso 今年搭載的 Honda 引擎，來取得 2019 賽季所需要
的資訊。好比變速箱是由 Red Bull Technologies 提供，但在換上新引擎的同時，這之
間仍然有許多需要進行整合的地方。
提到和 Honda 之間的合作，Horner 表示能更直接地進行整合，同時 Honda 也提供比 Re
nault 更好的設計和研發能力。
「以我們現在和 Renault 的狀況來說，像是和引擎相關的各個部件擺放位置，都是取決
於他們的團隊。我們需要去配合 Renault 所想的進行調整，有時候我們甚至要妥協。但
和 Honda 合作的話，我們可以和 Honda 透過討論的方式，將車輛和 PU 能達成更為最佳
化的整合。」
「他們在彎道上有著更快的速度，同時有資源和能力。像 Renault 可能在 R&D 的部分就
遭遇到財政上的困難。Mercedes 和 Ferrari 一樣已經花了很多經費，也投入了很多資源
。這些動力單元非常之複雜，你也可以看到任何一個 PU 仍然在進步。」
Horner 表示 Honda 給他了更多的信心，而不是 Renault。Honda 有能力更接近和 Merce
des 及 Ferrari 之間的差距，而不是只是純粹的改善。同時也特別提到 Honda 讓田辺豊
治來擔任 F1 技術總監的這項人事異動，是個重要決策，能將 Honda R&D Sakura 不亞於
別人的設備，轉化為能邁向成功的產品。
「Honda 已經加強他們的工程以及技術領導者，他們將會為團隊帶來一些良好的經驗，並
將成功展現在賽道上。」
https://i.imgur.com/oDPYTkW.jpg
原文連結：
https://goo.gl/56J9Fi
原文標題：
Red Bull would have still won with Honda - Horner
內文
Red Bull believes it would have earned victories this season with Honda's Form
ula 1 engine because the Japanese manufacturer is "within one percent" of Rena
ult.
Daniel Ricciardo triumphed in China then won from pole in Monaco despite suffe
ring an early MGU-K failure, before Red Bull's switch from Renault to Honda fo
r 2019 was announced.
Speaking to Motorsport.com in Austria earlier this month ahead of Max Verstapp
en's surprise victory, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said "we'd be
no different to where we are now" had it used Honda engines in 2018.
"We'd have still won the grands prix we won," said Horner. "Honda are within o
ne per cent of our measurement of where we currently are.
"There's still a significant chunk to get to Ferrari and Mercedes but having t
he full focus of an OEM like Honda behind us, combined with the fact that with
Renault we were becoming more and more the customer as inevitably their focus
becomes more centred on their own team, it was absolutely the right timing to
go this different path."
Horner has previously outlined the need for Red Bull to escape the customer st
atus it has found itself in with Renault, having previously enjoyed a de facto
r works team role.
Red Bull has used Toro Rosso's Honda engine supply this year to learn about wh
at its 2019 engine will require.
As well as Red Bull Technologies building the gearbox, there is transferable k
nowledge about what chassis changes are required to accommodate the new engine
.
Horner said that would lead to a relatively straightforward integration with H
onda, which he says offers greater design and development capacity than Renaul
t.
"With where we currently are with Renault, the positioning of any box, any jun
cture, on the engine, is dictated by their own works team," said Horner.
"We have to accommodate whatever Renault Enstone want to adopt. Sometimes we h
ave to make compromises to accommodate that.
"With Honda, we will have the ability to have the discussions in advance to tr
y to optimise the integration between engine and chassis.
"They are earlier on the curve and they have the resource and the capacity. On
e of the biggest issues that probably Renault have struggled with is probably
the financial commitment to the R&D process.
"Mercedes have spent a lot of money, and invested heavily, as have Ferrari.
"These power units are extremely complex and you can see now that there are st
ill incremental gains being made with the introduction of each power unit."
Horner said this gave him more confidence that Honda, not Renault, would be ab
le to close the gap, not just make improvements.
He highlighted personnel changes like Toyoharu Tanabe being made F1 technical
director as key decisions that will translate Honda's "second-to-none" facilit
ies at Sakura into "the right end product".
"They've reinforced their engineering and technical leadership," he said. "The
y've bought some good experience into the group now and that's showing on trac
k."