F1: Alonso to race new Honda engine in Japan

Fernando Alonso will race with Honda's latest specification Formula 1 engine in the Japanese Grand Prix, after encouraging results from analysis conducted at its factory.

Honda spent one engine development token on the engine block and one token on a new lightweight exhaust, but only Alonso ran the upgrade during Friday practice at last weekend's Malaysian GP. The engine was then removed from the car, as planned, so Honda could correlate the data while avoiding a grid penalty for Alonso at its home race in Japan.

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Alonso ran an older spec power unit for the remainder of the race weekend in Malaysia, clocking up combined penalties of 45 grid places for component changes. After investigations of the data gathered, Honda has chosen to put it back in Alonso's car for the Japanese GP weekend and plans to run that unit until the end of the season.

Jenson Button will continue to run the old spec engine block in Japan, but like Alonso will have the lightweight exhaust as that element of the update also proved a success when it was run all weekend in Malaysia.

Honda has brought another updated engine block to Suzuka, but it is believed Button will not get it until the United States Grand Prix to avoid taking a grid penalty in Japan.

Originally on Autosport.com