Honda’s Tanabe returns to Mexico 26 years after Senna and Berger

by mobanmarket
on November 17, 2019

Honda F1’s technical director Toyoharu Tanabe will take an inevitable trip down memory lane at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez this weekend in Mexico City.

The last time the Japanese engineer visited the venue was back in 1992, when he worked with McLaren drivers Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger during Honda’s successful partnership with the Woking team.

Times have changed but Tanabe is expecting Mexico City to bask in the same fervent atmosphere.

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“Personally, the last time I raced here was in 1992 with Senna and Berger,” he says.

“I remember the fans were fanatic at that time, and looking forward to see the atmosphere once again.

“We’ll have many colleagues from Honda de Mexico, so we hope to show a good race in front of them.”

Thanks to its altitude, Mexico offers some specific challenges to F1’s engine manufacturers and Honda is no exception.

“The layout of the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit is fairly straightforward,” he explains.

“However, for engineers, both on the PU and chassis side, it presents some interesting challenges, mainly linked to altitude.

©ToroRosso

“At just over 2,200 metres above sea level, Mexico City is the highest venue on the F1 calendar.

“On the PU side, the air has less pressure and so the turbine has to work harder than usual. This requires a different set-up on the ICE and means that the MGU-H is under greater strain.”

But for the Honda-powered Toro Rossos of Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley to perform all weekend, keeping temperatures in check will also be a priority.

“Cooling also has to be carefully managed,” confirms Tanabe.

“We replicate these conditions on the dyno, however, there are always adjustments to be made once we start running on track.”

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