11:58 – Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly believes the team’s new power unit partner Honda can “surprise” its opponents in Formula 1 next season, despite the marque’s recent struggles.
Honda returned to the sport in 2015 as McLaren’s supplier, but reliability and performance issues restricted the operation to ninth in the standings.
Having improved to sixth in 2016, McLaren-Honda slumped to ninth once more in 2017, amid the manufacturer’s decision to implement a new power unit concept, prompting the parties to divorce.
Honda will instead link up with Toro Rosso in 2018, and Gasly reckons the company’s progress through 2017, and time frame before the new season starts, provides reason for optimism.