Winter changes have put Honda on the up in the WTCC, says Mariani

Honda WTCC head Alessandro Mariani believes a winter of change has transformed the Japanese make’s fortunes in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

Following two tough seasons in the WTCC, Honda has hit back in style in 2016 with three wins from eight races, including a factory 1-2-3 in the Main Race in Morocco last weekend.

And Mariani has credited the upturn in form to a number of personnel changes during pre-season, which included adding Rob Huff and Norbert Michelisz to its driver line-up.

“We made a lot of changes since the end of last year, new drivers, new engineers, young people with the possibility to show their potential,” Mariani said in Marrakech on Sunday evening. “This is an incredible result for Honda and now the 101st podium in touring car racing for the partnership between JAS Motorsport and Honda. I have to say a huge thank you to everybody who has worked on this project between the winter and now. And I have to thank the drivers because to achieve the 1-2-3 in this way means the driver team is working very, very well.”

However, despite its success in Morocco, Honda trails Citroën by 39 points in the Manufacturers’ championship standings.