Honda delighted with testing but tweaks in store for Melbourne

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Honda F1 technical director Toyuharu Tanabe was happy to see the manufacturer head back to base after pre-season testing with a practically unblemished track record.

The Honda power unit installed in the back of Toro Rosso and Red Bull's 2019 contenders delivered a reliable performance and solid mileage over the course of the eight days of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

The positive running was a clear validation of the progress achieved over the winter by Honda and the confident outlook expressed by Red Bull.

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"We were able to run throughout all eight days of winter testing without any major problems on the PU side," said Tanabe-San.

"This meant we were able to do a good mileage. We experienced some minor issues in the second week, but that is what testing is all about, dealing with anything that arises before the season gets underway."

Last week, Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner called the RB15's engine installation "a thing of beauty", referring to the Honda unit's tight packaging.

Tanabe admitted however that the installation, which the Japanese engineer called "a bit too aggressive", would require a few changes before Melbourne.

"We don’t have a serious problem with the current installation, but we found some issues because of the tight packaging", Tanabe told Motorsport.com.

"The shape was a little bit too aggressive, so we need to make it a little bit different. It’s not a big concern."

Tanabe also insisted that the manufacturer's RA619H will logically require more development for its performance to bridge the gap with its Mercedes and Ferrari rivals.

"We are not so confident with the current achievement," he said.

"Still there are a lot of areas we need to work on to catch up to the top competitors.

"We reviewed not 100% but [almost] every single part, and then applied slight modifications for the weight, or reliability.

"On the internal combustion engine side, [we targeted] more efficiency in the combustion era.

"We will try to gradually improve it."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.