What string of decisions did it take Lawerence Stroll to ditch the Mercedes engine for the Honda engine? 23 pints deep and gun to my head, I would still never make that call.

@FormulaUR_ Bet you didn’t say that back when the partnership was announced

They paid Mercedes for engines. Here, Honda pays them to take their engines + branding, etc. Short term pain, yes, but Honda should sort it out like they did in the previous hybrid turbo era as well. The biggest loser in this could be Fernando Alonso…but Honda will get allowances to catch up unlike the previous era.

@FormulaUR_ Lawrence really following the footsteps of Alonso with a string of diabolical decision making Honda's top engineers went to RBPT and in hindsight he did make a bad decision but I'm sure they have alot more data to make that decision and it still went horribly

Who's to say Mercedes offered them the choice, smart move to withdraw the option from Newey's skills coming onboard. Might not have been the way it went but I'm sure Mercedes are happy they don't have another Mclaren fight to deal with. I'm sure as a works team they were hoping for major improvements too, any maybe they will come....

@FormulaUR_ Probably he knew Newey was coming and this was set up. The problem is he, Newey and Cowell should have seen this coming. Cowell as TP was a silly decision. He has extensive experience in exactly the area they need. They should have kept Merc then brought in Honda. Like McLaren.

@FormulaUR_ Ove asked myself the same, especially with new regs, new technical staff, plus all the other components like gearbox etc. Mind boggling

This decision was made like 3 years ago dip shit. When the Mercedes was struggling and the Honda was winning championships. You make decisions with the best information you have at the time. And you always get on the works engine deal. Don't pretend you're somehow smarter than the leadership at Aston, you just look like an idiot

@FormulaUR_ I wonder the same considering Honda had all plans to shut their F1 shop 4 years ago .

@FormulaUR_ Honda had the best battery deployment with the last engine regs and I think Stroll said 1+1=2, but didn't factor in that Horner had already signed all of the best Honda engineers to Red Bull.

@FormulaUR_ A works deal with an engine at the time was right there, more integrated design - not having to design around what you're given, bespoke fuel & lubricants deal, financial support, financial gain. Gun to my head I would absolutely still make that call.

@FormulaUR_ In an attempt to be a “works” team. I said it long ago when McLaren, Williams and alpine are signing big contracts that go deep in to a new engine change, that shows confidence. They knew something we didn’t and Aston Martin have shit the bed thinking they could outdo them

@FormulaUR_ Daddy Stroll is a moronically douchebag thinking he’s the king of the world.

@FormulaUR_ Stroll envying how good the Mercedes PU looks this year….

@FormulaUR_ Well Honda engine drove to 6 constructors and 8wdc's,so not that bad of a choice I guess.Also Honda will build competitive engine in the end, but it'll take some time,and would be funny if that happens after ALO retires.🤣now they'll try to get as much help from fia as they can.

@FormulaUR_ Wanting to be an independent works team obviously…

@FormulaUR_ Its not just that, they had their whole rear end and gearbox too. Now they have gearbox problems too. They bit off more than they can chew

@FormulaUR_ Honda had his Epstein pictures.

@FormulaUR_ Money. Pay Mercedes or get Honda for free. He didn't get rich by writing cheques.

@FormulaUR_ Honda essentially gives factory support to Aston Martin. Their engines are free and being a factory outfit the engines are designed specifically for Aston Martin. Mercedes engines would have been designed for Mercedes obviously and would of course be, well paid for.

@FormulaUR_ I honestly wonder how Alonso reacted to that back then, especially because he was standing on the podium regularly. They wanted their own gearbox, suspension and probably factory team status. On paper it looks amazing, in reality it’s a nightmare 😏

@FormulaUR_ This is one of those tweets that’s gonna age horribly

@FormulaUR_ Hindsight is 20-20. When the decision was made Honda arguably had the strongest engine in the field.

@FormulaUR_ Always choose to be works team than customer team. Especially with proven F1 PU manufacture.

@FormulaUR_ Short term pain for long term gain?

@FormulaUR_ I will only hope they can manage with what they have and focus and rebuild for 2027, tho it may bites harder for them than ferrari in 2025, but they will get there also.

@FormulaUR_ He was thinking that Newey+Honda is a winning combo

@FormulaUR_ Massive ass ego & $$$

@FormulaUR_ finally being a works team to try and do exactly this 😭

@FormulaUR_ Guess he wanted to be independent.. Mutt still work out, Japanese have great work ethic

@FormulaUR_ The Honda engine was a good engine. Especially between 2020-2025. That make sense you change the Mercedes who sells engine for another 2 teams, for Honda, that make engine only for you.

@FormulaUR_ This is only easy to say right now. What did Honda (RBPT) achieve in the last 4 years vs Mercedes?

@FormulaUR_ You wouldn't want to become a works team for the PU manufacturer that won 4 titles in a row and lost the fifth by a couple of points in the last race?