FIRST LOOK: Honda's new F1 'power unit'

SUZUKA, Japan - Honda has apparently hit back at rumours that its 2015 Formula 1 programme is behind schedule.

Italy's Autosprint reported on Tuesday (Sept 30), that despite making an audacious bid to lure Fernando Alonso to McLaren for 2015, Honda was three months behind with development of its new turbo V6 power unit.

Apparently hitting back at that speculation on Oct 1 ahead of the Japanese F1 GP at Honda-owned Suzuka, the automaker revealed the first image of its 2015 engine.

POWER UNIT IN TESTING

At the same time, Honda's F1 chief Yasuhisa Arai said the 2015 engine project was now entering its "prime phase" in Japan and would now undergo "full-fledged bench tests" connected to the turbo and energy-recovery systems.

He added: "Meanwhile our racing operation base in Milton Keynes, England, has become fully operational.”

Speed Week reported today (Oct 1) that Mercedes, McLaren's current engine supplier, had given McLaren permission to debut the Honda V6 at the post 2014 Abu Dhabi GP test in November 2014 despite Honda's Arai having said earlier that the engine would not debut until the first (northern) winter test at Jerez in February 2015.

McLaren team boss Eric Boullier said recently in Singapore: "There is a lot of work behind the scenes with our new partner for 2015.  To be clear about some discussions and rumours, we have not exactly defined when and where we will test first.

“There is a lot of work going through and, to be honest, as per the original schedule, everything is fine so far."

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