Honda may be leaving Formula 1 at the end of 2021, but if Helmut Marko is to be believed, they could also be about to bless Red Bull with the remarkable parting gift of a championship-winning engine. The team adviser claims that Honda's 2021 power unit will bring them level with Mercedes in terms of sheer grunt - although that could change if the Silver Arrows have made similar strides over the winter. "Honda has built a completely new engine. It's a true work of art in terms of its compactness and the way it fits into the Red Bull", Marko told Servus TV. "The engine also has more power and is an improvement that brings us up to Mercedes' level." Whether Red Bull can take the fight to Mercedes in the coming months remains to be seen, particularly as the reigning constructor champions famously never rest on their laurels. "We know they [Mercedes] don't sleep, so I hope their jump isn't that big now that their engine is already in its eighth year. "That development curve has to start flattening out somewhere. I am very confident about the Honda engine. There were some problems in the preparation, but that was due to carelessness. It was nothing to indicate serious mechanical or electronic problems", the 77-year-old concluded. From 2022 onwards, Red Bull will be developing their own powertrain , but if Honda does leave behind a race-winning framework before their untimely departure, Christian Horner will have a much simpler task on his hands.
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