McLaren: towards a massive investment from Honda?
If McLaren does not yet have a title sponsor for the 2014 season, the financial future of the British team is far from being in danger since, it seems, Honda is expected to invest significantly.
McLaren had its worst season since 1980 in 2013 by not achieving any podium finishes. For the season, Ron Dennis returned to the forefront, notably making Eric Boullier one of the new strongmen of the future team powered by Honda from 2015.
The question that arose following the presentation of the McLaren MP4-29 on January 24th was the absence of a title sponsor: indeed, after Vodafone from 2007 to 2013, the Woking team displayed a chrome livery that did not feature the colors of any brand giving its official name to the team.
According to several media outlets, a battle has started between Lotus and McLaren to secure a partnership with Sony, through Playstation. No official information confirms if such an agreement has been finalized, but in case of failure, there is no cause for concern as our German colleagues from *Auto Motor und Sport* indicated this morning that Honda, the future engine supplier for McLaren, would invest significantly in the company.
Michael Schmidt, correspondent for the German publication, outlines the key aspects of this massive investment: the Japanese manufacturer would provide financial support of nearly 100 million euros per year, including both the provision of free engines, 50 million euros in cash, and a contribution covering 50% of the drivers’ salaries. He adds that: Apparently, the money will already be available from [/f1/actualite/16830-officiel-ron-dennis-reprend-la-tete-du-mclaren-group-.html].
