Yesterday evening, Whitmarsh stated his desire to look at mandating pitstops, improving the tyre situation with Bridgestone and making the cars better able to race closely together on the track.

I personally believe that more challenging tyres will help the spectacle of the show. I also personally believe that we should have two stops mandated because we want to stop this. Today, if we had had a safety car on lap five, we’d have all piled in [to the pits] and we’d have all gone on the prime tyre and run to lap 49 without a stop. That was a real danger.

We do need to look at mandating stops, we do need to look at the tyres and make them more fragile, and we do need to work on making the cars capable of racing close together and easier to overtake. Martin Whitmarsh.

Today has seen more team bosses speak up over the less-than-exciting opening race in Bahrain and concerns over races becoming processional with little-to-no overtaking. Nick Fry believes the technical regulations cannot be changed now because of the costs involved with updating the cars would be excessive. However, Fry is willing to take a closer look at the sporting regulations to see if something can be done here to add excitement to the grands prix.

I think we have all seen a race that was far from the most exciting that we have ever seen, and what we now need to do is between us have a look at it and establish what we do need to do.

Technical changes are obviously very difficult to make, and expensive. But I think we should look at both the technical side and the sporting side, with Bernie and the FIA, and see what we can do about it. Nick Fry.

Fry went on to say that he believes the teams should look again at mandating pitstops in order to prevent the drivers completing just one stop and driving most of the race on one tyre. Of course, this idea was discussed prior to the season’s opening race in Bahrain, but agreement between all squads was not forthcoming and the idea was quietly forgotten about.

[Mandating pitstops] is the one of the things that we should look at. We decided against it before, but is something that clearly could be done. I don’t think it would provide a particular advantage or disadvantage to anyone as far as I could see, but I am sure it is going to be high up on the list. Nick Fry.

Elsewhere in the paddock, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner echoed the feelings of most others, saying that he believes it is crazy that his staff “train like hell” for just one pitstop per driver. Horner though does believe that an immediate reaction would be ill-thought and would prefer to wait until the fourth or fifth round before implementing changes.

I think we should consider whether we do two mandatory stops. It seems ridiculous that the guys train like hell for one stop.

We’ve only had one snapshot today, so perhaps we should review it after the first three or four races. Everybody thought I didn’t want it because of tyre degradation, but I think we have shown today that tyre degradation isn’t a problem for Red Bull. Christian Horner.

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali also thinks it would be prudent to wait three or four races before making decisions and changes to the rules.

Let’s wait. I can understand his [Whitmarsh] point but let’s wait and see how the other races will develop. It may be a different situation in different conditions, so I would like to tell you my opinion after a couple of races so we can at least have a different scenario that we can say, [whether] this is the real situation or not. Stefano Domenicali.

It would seem that the team bosses are in agreement that the issue should at least be discussed and if the Australian and Chinese grands prix continue in similar vein to Bahrain, then consider making changes to the regulations. It is interesting that there has been little comment on the Bahrain circuit and the additional loop after the fourth corner. The extra length in the track reduced the total number of laps raced and added no extra overtaking possibilities for the drivers. Admittedly, I don’t think McLaren or Ferrari would want to annoy the Crown Prince of Bahrain, both teams receiving funding from Middle East companies. However, from a personal view it would be desirable to see the Sakhir circuit return to its traditional configuration for next year’s event.

And for the last word, I think I’ll leave that to Mark Webber…

Wow! New rules, not sure huh? Why do they keep dicking with it? Followed Mercedes power for the whole race, no chance to overtake – again @AussieGrit.

Image © HondaF1.

Original article by BlogF1.

Nick Fry Adds Voice Of Concern Over Processional Races

The Team Formerly Known As Honda is expected to test a car this week ahead of the final group test at Circuit de Catalunya next week. The news of the test is encouraging, although the rumour is not new as this was speculated last week. However, the Yomiuri daily newspaper in Japan have run a story quoting a source at Honda as saying:

We expect to be able to make an announcement from the company and the team in the near future. Honda has been making all possible efforts to avoid the worst option of having to disband the team. Unconfirmed Honda Source.

Of course, we have all heard of speculation of this sort for a few weeks now and many people and companies have been linked to Honda since the Corporation made the initial withdrawal announcement last year. It would appear though that a management buyout is the most likely scenario, with Ross Brawn and possibly Nick Fry being to the two main participants in the deal. It was also noted last week that Caroline McGrory, a staffer employed in the legal department at Honda had purchased two Internet domain names; brawnracing.com and brawnracing.co.uk.

The possibility of Rubens Barrichello extending his Formula One career has hit the press today as well. Barrichello, who has driven for the team since 2006 after leaving Ferrari became the sport’s most experienced driver ever, and said at the time that he feels he has more to give to the sport and would like to continue.

Rubens was competing with Bruno Senna for the seat up until very recently, many (myself included) thought that Barrichello’s career as an active Formula One driver was over. However, should the Honda team be sold and assuming they have good financing in place, it would make sense to hang on to Rubens, the Brazilian driver being very experienced and able to assist with the transfer by developing the under-tested car. In other words, Barrichello is a safe bet, a consistent driver and takes away any worries of developing a rookie driver.

My faith says that next week I’ll be driving a competitive car in the tests in Barcelona – although I have no document in my hands that assures me of that. Rubens Barrichello.

Autosport are saying that the Barrichello deal is not yet signed, as the team are waiting to finalise the deal that will see the team saved. After which point further contracts can be negotiated and cemented. It is however common knowledge now that the team will use Mercedes-Benz engines, Vijay Mallya yesterday saying that the McLaren and Force India supplier had sought his approval before agreeing.

Mercedes-Benz have collaborated with Mallya’s team for 2009, supplying Force India with engines, gear boxes and technical expertise. The FIA usually only allow a manufacturer to supply two teams, which for 2009 would have seen Mercedes’ engines powering McLaren and Force India. However, the German motor company have presumably been given dispensation to supply Honda, for one year according to the Force India boss.

Well, the FIA rules say that an engine manufacturer can only supply two teams. As far as Mercedes is concerned, that’s McLaren and Force India. I think a special one-year dispensation, I understand, has been granted for Mercedes to supply the ex-Honda team just to keep it on the grid.

I could have objected but I chose not to because it is good for F1. Nobody likes to see a team disappear. We had unfortunately Super Aguri disappear last year and I don’t think it is good for the sport that one more team goes. Vijay Mallya.

Mallya’s spirit should be commended. As he said so himself, the deal could have been blocked, but in order to help the sport and the former Honda team, Vijay agreed. A good move, I believe.

The team is not out of the woods yet, and much can go wrong. However, while very late in the day, it is still just about possible for the team to make it Melbourne. Quite what state the car will be in is anybody’s guess, having not tested yet. I’m sure though, fingers are crossed around the world for a twenty car grid in Australia.

Image © HondaF1.

Original article by BlogF1.

Rubens Barrichello & Honda Closing In On Deal?

First it was Carlos Slim who denied being a potential purchaser for the Honda outfit, and then Dave Richards pulled out of the running. Then it was the turn of the management to add some hope to a deal being made before the first race, and more recently, Richard Branson has been associated with the squad. Even Bernie Ecclestone has apparently had his piggy bank rejected by the company chiefs.

Originally, Nick Fry and Ross Brawn stated that they had received a lot of interest in the team and had whittled the offers down to a dozen serious possibilities. However, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui told the press in Tokyo today they have made little progress in finding a purchaser since the team went up for sale in December.

There are various offers for the team but we have not seen any serious buyer yet. We find the sale process difficult. Takeo Fukui.

This slaps Ross Brawn’s and Nick Fry’s previous comments down. In late December and early January, the current team principal and team CEO spoke of lots of interested parties.

There has been a huge amount of interest. It’s now got to the stage where we need to filter out the serious from the not so serious. We’re all hopeful that something will happen and we’re anxious to turn up the wick again in the new year. Ross Brawn, speaking in late-December, 2008.

It’s looking very positive at the moment. We had, as you might expect, a huge amount of interest at the start, probably well in excess of 30 groups came to us. We have now narrowed that down to something in the region of a dozen, and we’re currently talking to Honda about what is the best bet for the future. Nick Fry, speaking in early January, 2009.

With less than a month to go before the cars need to be sent over to Australia for the first race of the year, a deal that would ensure the survival of the squad is looking slimmer and slimmer. According to Autosport, Mercedes-Benz have apparently put a deadline of this evening (Monday 23rd) to commit to purchasing their engine units for the upcoming season.

The clock continues to tick…

Image © HondaF1.

Original article by BlogF1.

Has It All Gone Pear-Shaped At Brackley?

Honda are said to still have a dozen interested parties though, so all is not yet lost yet for the 700 odd employees in Oxfordshire and around the world. However, Richards doesn’t want the burden right now, despite welcoming the recent agreement to significantly cut costs in running a Formula One team. Although a step in the right direction, the one-time Benetton Formula One team chief feels it isn’t enough to ensure he can hit the ground running.

The cost-cutting process that has been put in place has not yet seen its full benefit, and I don’t think it will be until 2010 that you will see those issues roll out properly. The teams have still got a burden of overhead that is unsustainable. So consequently, with the window of time for entry, I just question whether it is right at the moment. Dave Richards.

If Formula One does not reconnect itself with its fan base and with the man in the street, and bring itself down to earth, I fear for its future. I know some people at the top end of the sport are addressing that and are well aware of that…It is a bitter medicine that is required at the moment but it has to be done. Dave Richards.

Honda Chief Executive Nick Fry was keen to point out that the team may still find a buyer, stating that about 30 parties showed initial interest, to which he and the other powers within the company have whittled down to a dozen or so.

It’s looking very positive at the moment. We had, as you might expect, a huge amount of interest at the start, probably well in excess of 30 groups came to us. We have now narrowed that down to something in the region of a dozen, and we’re currently talking to Honda about what is the best bet for the future. Nick Fry.

We do yet know who the interested parties are, although once-rumoured Carlos Slim – a wealthy Mexican businessman – ruled himself out stating his involvement was mere speculation. If an agreement cannot be reached with a potential purchaser by the end of January, Honda have said they will pull plug, thus limiting the 2009 grid to just nine teams.

It once looked reasonably okay for Honda, and I for one was pleased to see Dave Richards looking at making a comeback to the sport. However, to hear that someone with Richards’s experience in running motor sport teams has decided to put himself out of the running, it doesn’t paint a rosy picture for the Brackley squad’s future. It may well be very good having the bank balance to finance a Formula One venture, but without the right skills a team can very quickly disappear off the back of the grid.

Original article by BlogF1.

Richards Rules Out Formula One Return

Rubens Barrichello has enjoyed a long career in Formula One (the longest, in fact), and he was once hailed as the second Ayrten Senna in the making. Unfortunately for Barrichello, luck hasn’t always been on his side, but great drives in the under-funded Jordan and Stewart teams allowed his ability to shine. A promotion to Ferrari came in 2000, but Michael Schumacher was unbeatable during the team’s dominant era. Ever the team player though, Barrichello stood by and watched his team mate win five successive driver’s titles before finally switching teams at the end of Schumacher’s run.

Finding a new home at Honda wasn’t the best of moves, but at the time Rubens found few other options available. With the announcement of former Ferrari Technical Director Ross Brawn to the team chief role at Honda, many thought the fortunes of the Brackley-based squad would see an improvement. However, while many are hopeful the performance of the team will improve, they certainly didn’t during the 2008 campaign.

In Rubens’s first year at Honda, he was outscored by his team mate Jenson Button, but the car was reasonably competitive when everything came good and Barrichello managed a consistent season, finishing on 30 points. 2007 was a let down though for all those involved, and although it was the Brazilian’s first ever point-less campaign, Button’s wasn’t much better with a pitiful 6 points. For 2008, the performance slumped again although Barrichello managed to outscore Button for the first time since their pairing. A fine podium at Silverstone boosted Barrichello’s haul to 11 points, considerably more than Button’s 3.

Honda are due to test two young GP2 drivers later this month (Senna and Di Grassi), and many Formula One insiders are saying that the writing is on the wall for Rubens. It’s also worth mentioning that the team’s CEO Nick Fry has stated that he will “bring some fresh blood into Formula One” next year, strongly hinting that Barrichello will be replaced.

Do you think Nick Fry is right to bring in a younger driver for 2009, or do you think Barrichello still has some fight in him? Would Honda be taking an unnecessary risk by retiring Barrichello’s wealth of experience, or would they do good by letting a younger and perhaps more hungry driver into the cockpit?

Original article by BlogF1.

Should Rubens Barrichello Retire From Formula One?

We can’t afford to lose teams and I think they [Super Aguri] showed a lot of character, a lot of effort in the last couple of years but circumstances prevailed and they were not able to carry on. It was a shame they could not find the funding to continue.

What I saw was Nick [Fry] making big efforts at time to keep the project alive, beyond any reason for us, it was because of the connection of Aguri with Honda. Nick did a lot of work to try and find a viable solution for Aguri. Ross Brawn.

Currently, Ross runs the Honda Formula One operation. He has done so since late last year and arrived at Brackley after a decade of limelight-basking in Maranello. So when his current employer gets caught up in the possible failure of its satellite team, you’d think, being experienced and all, he might get involved. For sure, he wouldn’t be able to devote much time to the cause, but you would think he would have concerns. But really, we don’t know if Brawn does or does not. And this is because he has hardly uttered a word about Super Aguri since this all kicked off.

When Brawn arrived at Honda, he stated he would be making small, minor changes to help the team initially. Ross’s approach is very methodical and concise. I suspect the man has a very large checklist somewhere (perhaps in his head) that he goes through, even for the simplest of tasks. And I’m starting to wonder if the removal of Super Aguri from Honda’s bank balance was one of those things on his list. Admittedly, this isn’t a small, minor change. But it would help Brawn in his job if he was given more of a budget to play with (remember, he’s used to blank cheques from Fiat) and was able to solely focus on the efforts of his own team, both on track and politically in the background.

If, and that is quite possibly the second-largest ‘if’ I’ve made on this site, Ross was the reason behind Super Aguri receiving substantially less support this year, then I have a lot of respect for the man. Not because he’s removed a bottom-of-the-grid team from championship (that loses respect), but because he would have managed to do it and get all targets pointing at Nick Fry while he can freely walk around the media saying how sad it all is.

Whether Brawn was a key Honda-side player in the demise of Super Aguri or not, we will never likely know, and Aguri Suzuki appears to be very annoyed with Nick Fry at the moment, so maybe I am reading between the lines too much. But you have to admit, if Brawn was involved, he did well to save face and dodge bullets.

Image courtesy of HondaF1.

Original article by BlogF1.

Is Aguri Suzuki Upset With The Wrong Man?

I don’t understand how suddenly Nick Fry needs to be commenting on everything. Honda were our backers and he’s not the CEO of Honda. I have no interest in Nick Fry whatsoever and have no idea what he was talking about. Aguri Suzuki, speaking after he announced the end of Super Aguri.

While Fry has been spouting off his opinion on matters that don’t entirely concern him, his focus on his team has clearly dwindled. The fact that Honda took a beating last year probably made the Honda executives stand up and take notice of what their millions of dollars are actually being spent on. The fact that a nobody-in-comparison (Super Aguri) can come along and wipe the floor with the Goliath (Honda) for the best part of a year probably did Fry’s reputation no good whatsoever. Before this though, the team had gone through other difficulties, being banned for three races due to an illegal fuel-tank is a prime example of this.

Many folk on the internet feel that the acquisition of Ross Brawn to the team has temporarily saved Fry from receiving the boot earlier. But with Brawn heading up the Formula One operation, what are Honda paying Fry to do exactly? Talk about other teams in a demeaning way? Smile for the cameras and divert attention away from the poorly performing RA107 and RA108? Smooth-talk Jenson Button into staying with the team each time his contract comes up for renewal…?

I’m sure Fry does a lot with Honda, but given how the Super Aguri issue was handled, I’m wondering if Honda aren’t now thinking of other ways to save a bit of cash.

Image courtesy of Honda.

Original article by BlogF1.

Is Nick Fry About To Find Himself Unemployed?

It seems as though HondaF1 CEO Nick Fry has something to say, and is being quite persistent in saying it.

I am aware that Aguri Suzuki is continuing to look for an investor and we wish him well. Since we have been looking for a partner for over a year, unfortunately, it would seem unlikely that someone appropriate is going to appear in the next 48 hours. Nick Fry.

Pitpass have speculated that Super Aguri owe Honda somewhere around the $100m mark, and that the loan is secured against the factory, cars and other equipment. Today, it emerged that Super Aguri have been refused entry into the Istanbul paddock, and Pitpass believe the Super Aguri cars are being sent to the Honda factory. According to Autosport, the motorhome and spare-parts truck have been refused entry because Fry had told FOM the team wouldn’t be racing in Turkey. Apparently, Super Aguri are parked up somewhere outside the circuit grounds while they wait for further news.

So as Fry doesn’t believe Super Aguri can find an investor has he decided to start recouping the loan? It seems particularly harsh, especially when the team are currently in the process of negotiating a possible deal. But Fry had more to say on the Weigl deal.

It would appear unlikely that a company the size of Weigl is able to support a competitive Formula One team, unless of course there are other partners of which we have not been made aware. Nick Fry.

It sounds to me like Honda really don’t want Super Aguri to sort themselves out and pay back the money they owe. Instead, Honda would rather push Aguri harder until they eventually fall over, and then seize their assets, much like how a bully behaves in the school playground. Considering Super Aguri was originally set up to appease the Japanese fans who were upset when Honda signed Rubens Barrichello instead of Takuma Sato, Honda appear to now be turning their backs on those whom they profess to love so much.

Original article by BlogF1.

What Is Going On Between Honda & Aguri?

Magma, who are headed by former president of Ford Europe Martin Leach, had negotiated around 80% of the funds necessary to buy Aguri from Dubai International Capital, but they have since pulled out citing a lack of a clear commercial agreement for the future of Formula One and the insistence that customer cars will longer be allowed in the near future as reason for the decision.

Nick Fry’s words do sound like a man who is willing to bend.

Honda in my opinion have done the maximum possible to support the Super Aguri team.

It was never Honda’s intention to fully fund two Formula One teams but Honda have been incredibly supportive over the last two years of Super Aguri. But they do need to find funding of their own.

We have been engaged almost full time in the last few weeks trying to find a solution and I hope that it’s going to be a happy ending to the story, but at this stage that certainly can’t be guaranteed. Nick Fry.

However, the latest news in the Spanish paddock is that Aguri have been able to re-negotiate a deal with Magma, but currently nobody is confirming anything. It was reported earlier in the week that Super Aguri were looking for around the $100m mark for the team, almost all of which would go straight back to Honda has repayment for the debt owed.

Hopefully enough can be done for Aguri to race this weekend and the rest of the year. The team have until Friday to work something out, presumably the start of Friday Free Practice is indeed that time.

Original article by BlogF1.

Honda Not Keen On Bailing Out Super Aguri

It is going to be tough season for the Japanese team as they will need to play catch up with the others ahead of them, but this winter has seen some big changes at Brackley, most notably the placing of Ross Brawn in the team boss role. But the car needs to be a dramatic improvement if they are to be able to compete with Renault and BMW for the remainder of the points.

We will have our ups and downs and over a long season; that is inevitable. But I don’t see any reason why we cannot get back to where we were at the end of 2006. We obviously don’t know where other people are, but I don’t think it is unreasonable to presume that during the course of 2008 we will be able to get back to where we were in 2006 – which is going to races with full confidence that we can score points. Nick Fry.

The RA108 will run for the rest of the week at Valencia and will be officially launched in it’s 2008 livery on January 31st at the team’s HQ in Brackley.

Photographs Of The RA108

Original article by BlogF1.

Honda RA108: Roll Out At Valencia

Trying offer some sort of reasoned voice though, Honda have stepped forward with something a little more sensible. Now, I should point out that I disagree with limiting the talents of the staff in Formula One, and therefore see no need the cap anything, but my view isn’t going to stop Mosley in his path and make him reconsider. So, what have Honda suggested?

Quite simply, they have said that if you want to reduce costs for Formula One teams, thus making the playing field a little more level and allow more players to join, just limit the total money the teams can spend during the year.

Ross [Brawn] and I both think that an overall budget cap is something that should be seriously investigated. What we see at the moment, if you look at the accounts of any of the UK F1 teams, is that the costs keep going up.

So far what we have been successfully doing is moving money from one area of the team to another. Money is certainly moved from engines to aerodynamics, because that is the next best area of performance advantage.

We support a lot of the proposals on the aero restrictions, but the fear is that that money will merely be diverted elsewhere. It will go to driver salaries or engineer salaries, or some other part of the car, but will not necessarily reduce the total bill that a team has to pay.

So rather than chasing our tails, we think we should be considering an overall budget cap. Although it will be difficult to monitor, we think it can be achieved. Nick Fry.

I like the honesty of Fry’s statement, saying that all the engine freeze has done is forced the teams to spend more on aerodynamic development and less on the power plants. The total spend is likely to be the same, if not more as Fry hinted at. Essentially, Honda’s F1 CEO has just slapped Mosley down, proving (from Honda’s point of view at least) that the teams are not saving money; they’re actually spending more.

We do support sensible efficiencies on cost and cost restraint. The difficult thing is applying it so it doesn’t advantage or disadvantage one team over another, and that’s the thing we need to focus on.

The concept of a budget cap a couple of years ago was thought to be fairly ludicrous. But if you look at the weaknesses of the counter-arguments and alternative solutions, you wonder whether budget-capping isn’t the one you ought to find a solution for. It gives everyone the opportunity they want to try and achieve the objective. Ross Brawn.

Brawn hit the nail on the head when he states that the cost-cutting rules need to be fair through the grid, ensuring that they don’t “advantage or disadvantage one team over another”. Unfortunately, Ross is about to see Formula One from a non-Ferrari standpoint. This at least should be interesting to watch next year.

The teams are also businesses, and like other limited companies, they need they’re accounts audited and in most circumstances, are made available for viewing. Combined with legislation within the rules, policing the costs spent by the squads would be far easier to manage than an FIA official standing guard at the wind tunnel. Which, by the way, adds to the costs of the governing body which would probably be passed down to the teams at some point.

I could pick holes in the aerodynamic argument. How do you police CFD? You have a processor and a number of people working at their workstations in the CFD department, but if you’ve got somebody off-site quite legitimately developing the code and then they put that enhanced code into your system, are they part of your CFD process or not?

I’m not saying a budget cap is the easiest thing to apply, but is it any more difficult than the other things we’re going to do? [...] How fast can you make this car go for 100 million a year? How efficient can you be? And it’s up to the teams to decide whether they spend 50 million on the driver and 50 million on the car; or one million on the driver and 99 million on the car. It would be fascinating to have that challenge. Ross Brawn.

I like having Ross back in F1. And facing the challenge of reviving Honda away from the comforts of Maranello, the banana-munching brain-box can, has to think radically, perhaps even upsetting the establishment in the process. Like I said, Ross is going to make for some enthralling viewing in 2008.

But back to budget caps. Would it really work? Like all things in business, it isn’t rock-solid. Of course some teams would fudge the numbers, move and hide money, but is it any worse than trying to do some of the things the FIA are currently putting forward? It would actually promote innovation, developing systems without the comfort of the limitless money source, and it would definitely level out the grid a little.

As always, your views are more than welcome, so let me know what you think in the comments. Has Ross gone bananas, or does the green-fingered team principal speak as wisely as the green-bodied Yoda? Erm, budget caps: good or bad!?

Original article by BlogF1.

Welcome Back Ross, Now About These New Rules…