Honda: No change in pressure despite Red Bull deal

Honda Formula 1 chief Toyoharu Tanabe says the Japanese manufacturer is feeling no additional pressure heading into the 2019 season despite its expanded relationship with Red Bull Racing.

After supplying Toro Rosso exclusively through 2018, Honda expanded to a two-team supply for the first time since its return to F1 for the upcoming season after linking up with Red Bull.

Both Red Bull and Toro Rosso officials have spoken highly of the Honda power unit's advancements heading into 2019, with Red Bull pinning its hopes of a title bid on a better engine package than it had with Renault last year.

Speaking earlier this week in Barcelona, Tanabe explained how Honda feels the level of pressure is no different to how it was last year with Toro Rosso.

"Honestly, it has not changed. Over the course of the period the manufacturer has supplied it to Toro Rosso and to both teams it has been the same, the desire and the target," Tanabe said.

"Of course, we respect the Red Bull results over the past few years. Of course there is pressure.

"But we want to supply high performance which is always our target so there is not much change."

Asked if he shared Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost's confidence that Red Bull could win races with Honda this year, Tanabe said: "Once we participate in a race as Honda, not only in Formula 1 but all racing, the winning is our aim, our target.

"But at this stage it is very hard to tell what will happen this year. Of course our target for both teams will be to improve, and we want to get better results than last year for both teams."