Max Verstappen dominated a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix to lead an unlikely Honda one-two ahead of Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly.
The team may well win races with Honda this year, just as it probably would’ve done with Renault, but it won’t be until 2020 and beyond that the true success of the relationship can be judged. Best the team doesn’t get ahead of itself before then.
Formula One teams get just eight precious days to test their 2019 machinery ahead of next month’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix. At the halfway mark, we can begin to draw some broad-brush conclusions.
Formula One’s teams had turned their attention to 2019 long before the dust had settled on the 2018 season, and this week’s first preseason test will be a key indicator as to which of them have planned wisely for the year ahead.