03/07/2017
NEWS STORY
Honda has confirmed that Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne will both have the Spec 3 engine this weekend in Austria.
The latest specification power unit was used by Alonso in the Friday sessions in Azerbaijan, but with the Spaniard due to start from the back of the grid and the fact the new unit hadn't been fully mapped, Honda opted to hold back the unit and instead revert to the Spec 2 power unit for Saturday and the race.
Following further work since the Baku event however, Yusuke Hasegawa today confirmed that the both drivers will have the Spec 3 unit for the entire Spielberg weekend.
"We tested the updated PU, the Spec 3, with Fernando on Friday and we were able to confirm some progress in terms of the power output," he said.
"We have proceeded with the mapping back at the factory utilising the data we collected, and we are going to bring the Spec 3 for both drivers this weekend," he added.
"I think we have some improvements in our competitiveness and I am looking forward to seeing our performance in Austria," he concluded.
"While the result in Azerbaijan was nothing to truly celebrate, it was a sign that we are working well and able to capitalise whenever an opportunity presents itself," added team boss Eric Boullier. "With a number of improvements planned for the Austrian weekend, not least the proposed upgrade from Honda, I'm hopeful that we'll be in a position to get amid the other midfield runners and take a useful step forwards."