Tost tips Honda to stay in F1

Franz Tost thinks Honda will stay in Formula 1 after 2021.

The Austrian is the boss of Red Bull’s second team, the newly-renamed Alpha Tauri. Both Red Bull-owned outfits are powered by Honda, who at present have only committed to the sport for the next two seasons.

"I trust that Honda will remain active in the sport for longer than that," Tost told Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper at the Barcelona test.

He said it is natural that in "large companies such as Honda", there will always be those on both sides of the debate about whether the Japanese manufacturer should be in F1.

"But in the final judgement, I think the majority will be in support," said Tost.

Red Bull-Honda is being billed as a serious title contender for 2020, and Tost thinks the Honda project is going according to plan.

"In 2018 we mainly expected a year of learning and feedback," he said. "Then in 2019 we expected the first victory of Honda with Red Bull, and we succeeded.

"They have a good chance of winning the title this year," Tost added.