The McLaren Formula 1 team will use Renault engines next year after splitting from current partner Honda.
McLaren, which has won 12 drivers' and eight constructors' titles since entering F1 in 1966, has agreed a three year deal for a supply of Renault engines.
McLaren and Honda announced in 2013 that they were reuniting for the Japanese firm’s return to the sport from the 2015 season onwards. The two originally partnered in F1 from 1988 until 1992, a spell that resulted in four drivers' and four constructors' titles.
But Honda has failed to produce an engine on the pace of rival manufacturers Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault, and has also struggled badly with reliability. That has led to increasingly public frustration from within McLaren, particularly from star driver and double world champion Fernando Alonso. Earlier this year, Alonso skipped the Monaco Grand Prix to race a McLaren-based Andretti Autosport-Honda in the Indianapolis 500.
Interview: Mario Andretti on Fernando Alonso and the Indianapolis 500
While Alonso’s team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne has already been retained for next season, the Spaniard was reportedly prepared to quit the team if it continued to use Honda engines in 2018.
McLaren team boss Zak Brown said: “Today’s announcement gives us the stability we need to move ahead with our chassis and technical programme for 2018 without any further hesitation.”
Since returning to the sport, McLaren has been Honda’s sole customer team, but the Japanese manufacturer will stay in the sport next year with Toro Rosso, which has used Renault engines this year. It has not been confirmed how long the deal is for.
Honda had also signed a deal with the Sauber team for 2018, but this was soon cancelled by the Swiss outfit "with the best intent for the future in mind".
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Oh Aston Martin I hope you
Oh Aston Martin I hope you know what your doing. It's one thing for Honda to fail at F1, but Aston?
It does stack up.
It does stack up.
The McLaren chassis is regarded as one of the best out there but hasn't had the right engine to exploit it. At least with Renault power they can try to 'do a Red Bull' and be back in the hunt for podiums and occasional race wins.
Despite losing the Honda pay day for engines and Alonso's wages they are far from out of pocket. Besides, this is a calculated gamble. The additional costs are (hopefully) cancelled out by the increased prize money they'll receive next year.
What other choice did they have? Three years of broken promises from Honda, Mercedes said no and Ferrari....! Renault it is then.
Oh no...
Yet another engine supplier for Red Bull that needs years before it will prove itself reliable and up to par. Poor Christian Horner and Max Verstappen (and Ricciardo).