Has Honda unlocked the secret

[Dags]

Is it just me or has honda in the last two races found a particular technical item or improvement that makes them a match the front runners?

[Stephen]

Interesting point, compare them now with Magny Cours and they've taken a massive step forward. I can only presume they've introduced a new chassis and aero package as they were the issues holding them back. I would love to see that team have more wins, and with the monkey off Jenson's back I think that will happen - however, I still think their car favours every circuit.

[certom]

respecting all the team and supporters, i think that Honda won't repeat soon this result...the Hungarian GP was a very particular one, penalties ( ), accidents ( ), if these weren't happened, Honda would have finished in the 2nd-3rd P. (great result anyway considered how's Honda this year), nothing better...so, i think we have to wait more....

(let's bet Honda will win the Turkish GP )

[Dags]

My underlying thinking is 'what does it take to make an f1 car win races'? A top of the range engine wont do it, look at red bull. Its all made up of many things, each giving tenths of a second gains. But when a big spender like Honda cant find that extra few tenths of a second, it makes me think there is a technical trick that money cant buy, only continuous experimenting will find it. Renault and Ferrari have found it, Mclaren are still missing something (mainly reliability and luck), the rest are a fair bit behind as their results show, but maybe Honda have it now, the next few races will tell.

[Kerjenski]

Until Honda or for that matter Toyota buy a decent racing heritage management team nothing will change. See interview with Ross Brawn in F1, he nails it perfectly.
They need to open there wallets and try securing Ross or someone very similar to make the difference. Until then they will always be second best.

[welshie]

It's true, Honda have stepped on a banana skin this season, the car is fundamentally flawed and no amount of tinkering is going to make that car one of the front runners this season. So when they introduce their new car this season fingers crossed they will be much faster, as at this point in time they have two fantastic drivers who don't actually want to drive!

[madbrad]

[f1ea]

See interview with Ross Brawn in F1, he nails it perfectly.

Where is this interview?

I think what makes a car win (by car meaning 'considering we have the same driver and fuel loads etc) is the aerodynamics. If you have inefficient aero then you might be forcing the engine trying to get better speeds thus hurting reliability. Also if your aero settings are screwed the tyres will have shorter life...

The thing about aero is that it is both a "development" for the chassis and also a "settings" issue during each race, so you need a solid develpment team and a solid race-engineering... so basically it involves all stages of racing.

[mudd]

I think the only thing Honda has unlocked is how to make an uncompetitive car with a massive budget.

[8-ball]

the last 2 races were wet ones and water is the equaliser for all F1 cars so don't worry Honda's car is still crap

[stonemonkey]

If they find out what the problems are at least they'll know what not to do next year.

[scotty]

I read a few months ago that Honda's wind tunnel was configured incorrectly which gave them problems this season... but who knows if that is true or just an excuse!

[7UpJordan]

Also I think the bumps at Interlagos won't do any favours for their car, notice how it seems to run well on billard table smooth tracks, kinda like how the Leyton House cars led a 1-2 during the 1990 French GP.

[Ron Dennis]

honda should forget about 2007 and go back to the drawing board

[raithrover]

I read somewhere that one of the major reasons for the poor showing this year was that Honda put a Japanese engineer in charge of aerodynamics and he only ever had experience of designing motorbikes.