Mercedes will not rule out helping former Honda team

Mercedes will not rule out helping former Honda team Stuttgart  - German car manufacturer Mercedes will not rule out helping the former Honda team participate in this season's Formula One season.

Honda last month announced that they were pulling out of Formula One, leaving the English team without an engine maker backing them.

Mercedes motorsport director Norbert Haug on Tuesday is quoted on the autosport. com website as saying that they would not rule out helping the team.

"If there is a workable solution with an investor for the team, we would be willing to talk about it," Haug is quoted as saying.

On Monday Ferrari practically dismissed any possibility of them providing the team with motors. "The chances of that happening are just about zero," Ferrari principal Stefano Domenicali said.

Mercedes will be providing not only their long-term partner McLaren with engines, they will also be working with the Force-India- Team this season.

"But the financial arrangements have to be right," Haug said in reference to possible negotiations with the former Honda team.

"In the current climate you can't hand out presents, but in the interests of Formula One, we would like to help," Haug said.

Honda officials Ross Brawn and Nick Fry have done good work with the team and therefore Mercedes wanted to help the team ensure a start for the new season, Haug said.

But this would not be an easy task as the Mercedes engineers were busy developing their own car for the season that starts at the end of March and which has seen many rule changes.

"This is not an ideal time to help another team," Haug said. (dpa)

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