Force India is against any kind of deal that would see their engine suppliers Mercedes assisting hapless Honda with their unreliable power units used by McLaren, deputy team boss Bob Fernley said on Friday. Fernley made this clear in a bid to prevent any kind of co-operation that would favour one of Force India’s main rivals.
Speaking at the Spanish Grand Prix, he told reporters that Force India could not back any deal that involved Mercedes helping Honda. “As a team, obviously, that has not only paid for its engines, but contributed to the development of them, I would certainly be very negative about sharing that technology with another team that is a competitor,” she said.
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff evaded direct questions on the subject, but said that there was no deal under discussion. “We are not doing anything for Honda, that is the current status quo,” he said. “So, unless that situation changes, I don’t want to contribute to rumours out there that are false and I think are damaging for Honda. We will see what happens.”
He added that he believed Honda would overcome the problems that on Friday saw two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso halted by a failed engine before he had done an opening lap in morning practice. “Honda is an important factor in F1, a massive and very successful company, and I have no doubt they will eventually be where they expect to be,” said Wolff.