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McLaren and Honda: Past doesn't make perfect

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It's a dangerous game to look back on a successful past and link it with an uncertain future. McLaren seem to have struck a harmonious balance through words accompanying the unveiling of a car that means more than simply reuniting Woking with Japan for old time's sake.

The MP4-30 carries not only the Honda name on the engine cover for the first time in 23 years but also the hopes of a team fighting its way out of a couple of dismal seasons by their previous standards. And it's that glorious record which tempts dodgy optimism by fondly recalling the almost total dominance of 1988 and hoping history will be repeated.

McLaren have been round the block enough times to know that's as daft as expecting the MP4-30 to run like clockwork as soon as it hits the track. No way is this going to be like the first appearance of the MP4/4 at the close of play during a pre-season test at Imola. The car, its paintwork barely dry, was unloaded from the truck, Ayrton Senna climbed on board, and the thing demolished the lap record straight out of the box. And continued to do so until bad light stopped what had become play for the delighted Brazilian.

Honda will also recognize that the F1 landscape has changed beyond recognition since their arrival as McLaren's engine supplier 27 years ago. For a start, there was no competition worthy of the name, the reigning champions, Williams, switching to Judd V8 (ironically because of the premature and unhelpful departure of Honda), Ferrari slowly returning to form and Ford dithering as the former champion engine manufacturer wished the clock would go back 20 years. In addition, the turbo engine formula in 1988 was so simple relative to now, it would be like comparing an electric typewriter with a word processor.

There's also the crucifying limit of four engines per season. In their heyday - which was most of the time - Honda would routinely bring eight fresh engines to every race; two for each race car, plus the T-car. And two more, just in case. Every race! Alain Prost used to worry that Senna was receiving the 'best' engine, probably because the drivers had nothing better to think about. Jenson Button doubtless wishes he could be so lucky to have that concern today.

The links with McLaren's past, expressed in just about every article and blog you read, generated a belief that the MP4-30 was somehow going retro in appearance. Why on earth should they do that - even if white with a splash of red was the official Honda colour when the Japanese firm did their own thing in the 1960s? This is McLaren-Honda (not Honda Marlboro McLaren, as it was officially known), revamped and re-energised.

It's commendable - even if McLaren do not wish to be in a position to receive such an accolade - that the temptation has been avoided to take any old title sponsor at a time when the commercial going is tough. Chrome has been replaced by blank black on the sidepods - which brings even more pressure to do enough on track to tempt a new associate to have their name writ large on the flanks.

On the long-held principle that if a car looks right, then it is right, the MP4-30 appears ready for 2015. But the chances of winning pole and the Grand Prix in Melbourne - as in the first race of 1988 - are as slim as believing the past makes perfect.

© McLaren

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Maurice Hamilton writes for ESPN F1.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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