Honda targets buzz on track, not social media

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Yusuke Hasegawa says Honda looks to draw attention for its on-track performance at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix rather than for the two McLaren drivers setting social media abuzz as they did last year.

The Japanese manufacturer’s reliability issues were once again in display at Interlagos 12 months ago, as Fernando Alonso was forced to stop on track in free practice before he failed to set a time in qualifying.

Instead of heading back for the McLaren-Honda garage, the Spaniard sat trackside and enjoyed the rest of Q1 on a deck chair. The image immediately went viral under the hashtag #PlacesAlonsoWouldRatherBe.

Alonso was not done yet as he and world champion team-mate Jenson Button later climbed onto the podium to wave at the crowd.

“Last year, we made more noise in qualifying with Fernando on social media than we did on the track,” Hasegawa said. “This year, we know that we can show our progress to our fans in Brazil with a better performance, and we're hoping for a good weekend of racing.”

Although McLaren entertains higher hopes for this year’s edition, Honda’s head of F1 project remains aware of the challenges posed by Interlagos.

“The swooping corners and the consecutive quick elevation changes make for beautiful scenery, but these turns ask a lot of the car balance.

“The track is also narrow, and the infield section is slow and twisty, so overtaking is always going to be difficult.”