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[Jabberwocky]

real honda f1 has it down as Senna in the other seat as he could bring in some money

[dwightschultz]

I also read elsewhere that Schumi was offered the Honda team to manage but he declined. Willi Weber mentioned that Schumi 'didn't want to enter F1 with his own team that way'.

Funny, I mentioned this last week in the earlier Honda post:

What I don't understand is why Ross Brawn and Schumi didn't pounce all over this deal? Together they should have the financial and sponsor backing to set-up a great F1 team and be more successful then Honda ever could be. They could probably even get Ferrari engines making it a sweet deal for all.

It would be great to see Honda racing next year, but my guess is that they will be battling for the last place with the flying VJ's a.k.a. Force India.

[Jensonb]

The Honda Formula One team will be on the grid for the start of the 2009 season after a management buyout, The Times can reveal. Jenson Button will spearhead the team on the track after two months of intense work on a rescue package by senior managers.

Sources close to the Brackley-based outfit confirmed last night that the deal is going ahead and that the team will conduct a “shakedown” test of their new car at Silverstone next Thursday, which will be Button’s first outing in the new machine.

The management buyout is being led by Ross Brawn, the team principal and former Ferrari technical director, and will be funded by a combination of money from Honda itself for this year, funds from Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One commercial rights-holder, and commercial sponsorship. Recent reports suggested that Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group could be a backer but this was being ruled out by informed sources last night.

It is not yet known under what name the team will operate or in what livery their cars will race. Under independent management, with a chassis designed by Honda and powered by a Mercedes-Benz engine under a supply deal with McLaren Mercedes, the “old” Honda team will be something of a hybrid that is likely to take some time to forge a new identity.

At Silverstone, the new car is expected to run in neutral colours. That outing will be followed by the team’s first full test in Barcelona, starting on March 9, which is the last official run-out before the first grand prix of the season in Melbourne on March 29.

While Button is confirmed in one race seat, no decision has been taken on his team-mate. This will be either Rubens Barrichello, the Brazilian, who has been with Honda for the past three seasons, or his compatriot and Formula One rookie, Bruno Senna, 25, the nephew of the great Ayrton Senna.

The buyout is expected to safeguard the jobs of “the majority” of the team’s 700 employees and was approved at a board meeting of the Honda Motor Co Ltd in Tokyo last Monday. After that meeting, Takeo Fukui, the company’s chief executive, was quoted as saying that no “serious buyer” had come forward and the company was finding the sale process “difficult”.

His comments were taken at the time as a sign that winding up the team was still a likely outcome, but it now seems that these remarks were misinterpreted.

The decision by Honda to approve and support the buyout which is regarded as highly unorthodox by senior managers in Tokyo, is a sensitive matter for a company that had made clear to its shareholders that it was withdrawing from a sport that was costing it more than £200 million a year.

While Button will be relieved to have a drive in his tenth season in Formula One, it looks likely to be another frustrating year in a car that has had a difficult birth and is unlikely to be competitive, at least in the early races.

Elsewhere yesterday, Sir Frank Williams dismissed reports that his team were in financial trouble as a result of the decision by RBS to end its sponsorship of the team in 2010. Williams said that RBS contributes only 10 per cent of the team’s budget and there was plenty of time to find a replacement sponsor from 2011 onwards.

“Don’t worry, there’s hundreds of trillions of cash in the world — something will turn up,” quipped Williams, who added that he was dismayed by a story that suggested his team, and the sport as a whole, is in difficulty. “It was presented as though it was the end of the world for Formula One, which is totally, totally untrue,” he said.

Weblink: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 812037.ece

Well it looks like Jenson has one more shot in the big time after management managed to secure some funds. Great news for all F1 fans. One thing I am concerned to see is that Reubens hasn't got his race seat confirmed yet. What is Ross thinking?! I'd take Ruebens over Jenson every day of the week! Apologies if this has been posted already.

Ross is thinking "Jenson Button is an under-rated superstar in his prime years and Rubens Barrichello is a steady old-hand in the twilight of his career - rapid yes, but not necessarily a team leader".

Besides which, the team is contractually obligated to give Jenson a drive. Rubens could keep the other seat, but by the sounds of it Senna's sponsorship money is gonna be needed to keep the wheels turning.

[EwanM]

I hope the deal gets passed. I really do.
However will the funds be there to compete all year? That is the serious issue.

[cap-dude]

^^Exactly. Sponsorships are key here. But Honda didn't have sponsors, so really, there are none.
It may very well come down to hiring Senna just to get the cash following. Also, Brackley F1 (apparently what its being called now) need to find serious sponsors fast. Which is hard considering that no one really wants to invest in F1 right now. The team may just end up in serious debt after not to long.

Hmm, I wonder would Brandson sponsor the team

[Denthúl]

Theevidenceisstackingup

But the silence is deafening

When will we get a bleeding announcement!? It's the worst kept secret in sport right now!

http://www.f1network.net/main/s169/st140565.htm

There's gonna be an announcement from the "Brackley Team" not Honda Motorsport Co. on March the 5th.

I forgot about Rubens Barrichello. He does need a send off. But I'm sorry, he won't bring the new team success. If anything Jenson Button should go.

Senna has to come. The two existing drivers haven't been bringing in enough results. I think the team will be Brackley-Mercedez Racing. I want to see Takuma Sato back racing. I mean, he finished 3rd in the crappiest car. At the US Grand Prix, which is a high-speed track.

That is a bigger achievment than Jenson Button coming first in a full works car.

Sato had better come back next year.

Now, I like Mister Texeira's idea: A team for the Winners of A1. I think that sounds fantabulous.

So next year, we might have 3 new teams. The A1 Champions Team, Team USA, and A team for Hulkenberg and Sato. lol.

Erm, you're forgetting that Jenson ran rings around Takuma the rest of that year in the same car - and it was not the crappiest, it was the second best.

As for Rubens, I like the guy so I'd love to see him keep the other seat, but it's probably going to come down to Bruno's money. Word on the RealHondaF1 board makes it sound like Bruno's sponsors are the team's new money bags.

People in F1 have short memories, so many people wrote Jenson off purely based on 2008 where his teammate finally beat him as a result of de-motivation (Who can blame him?). Jenson's beat ever teammate he's had from 2002 onwards apart from last year. He outclassed Rubinho in 06 and 07. You can't make judgments on the relative merits of a two drivers based off of one season, especially when their circumstances are so different (Rubinho driving to keep his career alive, Jenson's prime getting squandered by Honda's repeated failings under Nick)

I'll give you 2006, but that was down to Rubens having to switch from Bridgestone to Michelin tyres. In 2007, aside from the couple of races where Jenson scored points, Rubens performed better. Thing is, throughout 2008, Jenson did nothing but whine about how poor the car was. There were so many races where he had opportunity to capitalise, but did not do so.

Jenson being in his position is purely his own doing. Some better career choices several years ago could've seen him driving for teams that have had the potential to win races in normal circumstances, rather than the chaos of Hungary 2006. Even going to Williams instead of making all that fuss to stay with Honda would have been a good move.

I don't see de-motivation as an excuse. When you're at the back of the grid, you can't afford to be messing around because you don't have a great car, because doing that could quite easily see your career end. He needed to really be pushing things in the way that Rubens was doing. Less whining and more racing, in other words.

I don't doubt his talent, but rather his work ethic. The entire GP2 field would kill to have his seat, but he just used his RA108 for leisurely Sunday afternoon driving.

[EwanM]

Weber: Schumi was asked to save Honda
Thursday 26th February 2009

Michael Schumacher's long-time manager Willi Weber has revealed that the German was asked to help save Honda.


Honda put their Formula One team up for sale at the end of last year due to financial reasons. And one of the men reportedly approached to save the team was seven-time F1 Champion Schumacher.


However, the German, who previously worked alongside current Honda team boss Ross Brawn at Ferrari, turned down the offer.


"There was an enquiry," Weber told Cologne newspaper Express, "but Michael isn't keen to take part in Formula One in this manner.


"Michael is happy with what he is doing in life and - with regards to motor racing - my attention is focused on managing Nico Hulkenberg."

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954, ... 87,00.html

[EwanM]

Here's an interesting thought. This management buyout is a good idea if it keeps Honda alive, but for how long will the harmony last.
Will Brawn and Fry really have a shared agenda? They'll now theoretically have full control of matters whereas before there was the Honda board above them.
There could easily be a split.

[Jensonb]

I'll give you 2006, but that was down to Rubens having to switch from Bridgestone to Michelin tyres. In 2007, aside from the couple of races where Jenson scored points, Rubens performed better. Thing is, throughout 2008, Jenson did nothing but whine about how poor the car was. There were so many races where he had opportunity to capitalise, but did not do so.

Jenson being in his position is purely his own doing. Some better career choices several years ago could've seen him driving for teams that have had the potential to win races in normal circumstances, rather than the chaos of Hungary 2006. Even going to Williams instead of making all that fuss to stay with Honda would have been a good move.

I don't see de-motivation as an excuse. When you're at the back of the grid, you can't afford to be messing around because you don't have a great car, because doing that could quite easily see your career end. He needed to really be pushing things in the way that Rubens was doing. Less whining and more racing, in other words.

I don't doubt his talent, but rather his work ethic. The entire GP2 field would kill to have his seat, but he just used his RA108 for leisurely Sunday afternoon driving.

You're hardly being fair, Jenson has spent a lot of his time keeping faith in Honda, only for them to stuff it up 3 years in a row during the potential prime of his career. That's enough to de-motivate anyone.Every year he was told this was his chance, and then he found a crap car, or a team so badly mis-managed it defied belief. You can't just ignore the circumstances, they're what affects motivation.

Aside from which, Jenson (And Rubens) were told that 2008 was being written off in favour of 2009 very early compared to the norm, which is why they were both relatively ordinary towards the back end of the season (That and the car was frozen way early).

Anyway, as to the MBO itself, word on the street is that Nick Fry is not involved Ewman - probably for the best because he's more than a bit useless. There are allegedly 3 sponsors, including a big new-to-F1 deal. Incidentally, Honda did have at least one sponsor: Ray Ban (Makes sense since Jenson Button leads the world on sunglasses consumption). Wonder if they'll stick around for Brackley F1

[EwanM]

According to papers Fry will be envolved.

[Jensonb]

According to papers Fry will be envolved.

According to the papers, Gordon Brown is responsible for every rainy day

In all seriousness though, RealHonda F1 says Fry is out and they have a history of accuracy with regards to internal stuff at the Brackley team

[Gaz]

According to papers Fry will be envolved.

According to the papers, Gordon Brown is responsible for every rainy day

In all seriousness though, RealHonda F1 says Fry is out and they have a history of accuracy with regards to internal stuff at the Brackley team

I wonder whats going on with Bernine tho, is he giving money to be part of the teams managment or just from TV rights?

i seriously hope its the latter,

[Denthúl]

According to papers Fry will be envolved.

According to the papers, Gordon Brown is responsible for every rainy day

In all seriousness though, RealHonda F1 says Fry is out and they have a history of accuracy with regards to internal stuff at the Brackley team

I wonder whats going on with Bernine tho, is he giving money to be part of the teams managment or just from TV rights?

i seriously hope its the latter,

According to reports, he's advanced their television income.

[Jabberwocky]

I am sure that it is all down to Bernie wanting a looksy into FOTA. Has Brackley F1 signed a deal with the devil?

[Gaz]

I am sure that it is all down to Bernie wanting a looksy into FOTA. Has Brackley F1 signed a deal with the devil?

Thats what worries me....he should not be a part of FOTA