Images by Phillip Abbott/LAT
Honda closing on cause for engine failures
Facing its third engine failure since the season opener two weeks ago at St. Petersburg, Honda Performance Development is gaining confidence in finding the root of the problems.
“We believe it’s a manufacturing issue,” an HPD representative told RACER.
Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta experienced a catastrophic failure during the first practice session when his twin-turbo V6 powerplant ventilated the block and coated the circuit in oil.
At St. Petersburg, Dale Coyne Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais suffered a failure and Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay, running in the top five at the time of his issue, saw his race come to a smoky end on the front straight (pictured).
With the relatively short turnaround time between sessions on Friday, Herta’s HSR team was scrambling to prepare the No. 88 Honda for the rookie to turn some laps before the one-hour practice concluded.
Presented by:
Marshall Pruett
The 2026 season marks Marshall Pruett's 40th year working in the sport. In his role today for RACER, Pruett covers open-wheel and sports car racing as a writer, reporter, photographer, and filmmaker. In his previous career, he served as a mechanic, engineer, and team manager in a variety of series, including IndyCar, IMSA, and World Challenge.
Read Marshall Pruett's articles
Ford’s Formula 1 return builds momentum and results
Latest News
Comments
Comments are disabled until you accept Social Networking Cookies. Update cookie preferences
If the dialog doesn't appear, ad-blockers are often the cause; try disabling yours or see our Social Features Support.