Sauber close to Honda deal for 2018

Sauber could be on the verge of signing a long-term engine deal with Honda to replace its current arrangement with Ferrari.

Sauber is facing a difficult 2017 season with its year-old Ferrari power unit as the Swiss outfit seeks a new dawn following a change of ownership last year when it brought in new investors.

Engine manufacturers are required to notify the FIA which teams they intend to supply in 2018 by May 6, so a formal announcement of a Sauber-Honda deal could be just around the corner.

Honda is currently in the third year of a potentially ten year contract with McLaren.

While both parties have publicly said that they remained committed to the terms of their agreement, an amicable parting of ways is always possible.

• Boullier: Honda eyeing customer team for 2018

Honda could transfer its F1 involvement over to Sauber in a bid to continue its development in a less pressured environment.

Should McLaren and Honda continue to work together in 2018, both parties must approve of any deal for Honda to supply a second F1 team.

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier admitted last week that supplying a second team could be beneficial to Honda's development given its current problems, but Boullier also insisted that no additional effort could take anything away from its main programme with McLaren.

"I think more teams is better and more engine running is better," Boullier said.

"But there is a price to pay for that, which is deviating more resources into building more engines.

"Whatever happens, we are partners, so at some stage there will be a second team supply question, and I think we'll have to support this."

"But we want to make sure it's not detrimental to our partnership."

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