Honda's Hasegawa: 'Less pressure with Toro Rosso in 2018'

Honda F1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa believes the Japanese manufacturer will have less pressure working with Toro Ross in 2018 than it had with current partner McLaren.

As Honda winds down its relationship with the Woking-based outfit and switches its attention to its new collaboration with Toro Rosso, it hopes for a less agitated partnership.

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With McLaren's results falling dramatically short of expectations during the past three years, communication between the team and its troubled engine supplier became progressively marked by frustrations and disappointment.

While Honda's internal push to succeed will likely remain unchanged, external pressure will hopefully subside, says Hasegawa.

"Maybe I will feel a bit less pressure from the outside but from the inside there is no difference,” says the Japanese engineer.

"We need to prove that we can do a better job for next year. I don’t think it’s a huge difference. We have already started the preparation for next year.

"They are very kind and they are very excited to have a new partnership and of course we are feeling the same thing."

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