Current Formula One constructors champions Ferrari said they were prepared to supply engines to whoever takes over the Honda team.
Ferrari already supply engines to the Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso team and have spare capacity after Force India, who were powered by the Italian units last year, switched to McLaren-Mercedes.
Honda team boss and former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said he contacted his former colleagues at Ferrari about procuring the Italian outfit's 2.4 litre V8 power plant in 2009, should Honda Racing F1 be rescued by a buyer.
“They (the team management) have asked us if we are able to provide engines and we said yes,” a Ferrari spokesperson said.
The Japanese manufacturer Honda - hit by slumping sales in America and the strong yen - announced a month ago that they were to pull out of Formula One, both as a constructor and engine provider. The manufacturer was considered Formula One's biggest spender last season with an estimated budget of more than $300 million and no title sponsor other than the car-maker itself.
