I wouldn't put it that way. Had the Honda engines been bad (like maybe in the first two years of the second McLaren partnership), Red Bull couldn't have won the championship. Thus, the Honda engines ARE championship winning engines (like other engines are as well).
Also I don't see why McLaren would be lost with switching to Honda engines while Red Bull has them already and is doing well. I would rather say that it isn't the engine that keeps McLaren from winning the championship. But once they get their chassis right, having an exclusive engine partner could only help them, instead of being just another Mercedes customer. My main point is though that McLaren wouldn't have to PAY for Honda engines unlike what they have to do for Mercedes engines at the moment. Having their very own PU would be even more expensive, without providing a decisive competitive advantage. Red Bull will do it, but with Ford as a marketing sponsor, but then, who should slap their advertising sticker on a McLaren PU, other than McLaren themselves? So, there is no economic benefit there.
As to McLaren roadcars, BMW was rumored to offering for a takeover recently. McLaren denied - obviously they are capable of running the roadcar company on their own. The roadcar division and the racing division should stay economically separated IMHO.
McLaren-Honda. I believe it has potential if it's intended as a long-term partnership. Might as well have big marketing opportunities if done right and once they are successful. Take the silver arrows: They existed sooo long ago and weren't even the most successful cars in F1 history, yet Mercedes managed to revive/create that "mythos". Even though silver arrows already existed (McLaren-Mercedes), Mercedes managed to claim the "new, real silver arrows" for themselves. Now imagine the potential of McLaren-Honda...
Edited by MP418, 20 December 2022 - 10:47.