Honda planning engine performance upgrade

Honda is hard at work with a planned increase of the power levels of its engine, with an upgrade expected before June.

Fernando Alonso enjoyed a relative trouble free run on Friday, at least in terms of reliability but Honda's lack of horse power is such that McLaren cannot move up the ranks.

The Japanese manufacturer is now working on a revised engine featuring hardware changes destined to increase output, with an introduction scheduled around the time of the Monaco Grand Prix.

The power difference is big," said Honda F1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa, refering to this afternoon's speed trap figures.

"To raise the power it is necessary to raise the combustion efficiency, but to do that you have to change the hardware of the current power unit.

"So I am developing an improved power unit, but it will take some time to complete. I would like to have it finished and in the car within two months."

• Alonso: 'I really don't care where we are!'

It has also transpired that McLaren's drivers have been advised  to change gear in a different rev range in order to minimise vibrations, which also impacts lap times unfortunately.

"The vibration was not that much of a problem today. However, there was a little bit at the time of the up-shift, so if we solve that then we may earn a little more laptime."