Honda haven’t started off the 2007 season in the way that they had expected. Both drivers have had a poor run of results. Rumours say that both drivers are looking for way out of the team, although in public, they are fully supportive. Test driver Christian Klien has now joined Button and Barrichello and added his public vote of confidence in his team.
Writing on his official website, Klien explained that he visited the team’s HQ for two days and saw that progress was being made on addressing the current problems with the car. Klien feels that the current issues will soon be resolved and that Button and Barrichello will soon be fighting with the top end of the pack for podiums and victories.
“In many ways the current problems affecting the car have shown me just how strong Honda is,” Klien said. “The entire team is working so hard and really doing a fantastic job to solve these problems and ensure that we will be a contender in the future. There has been a lot of negative talk about the car and team in the media, but everyone seems to forget that this team won a race last season and as recently as 2004 finished 2nd in the World Championship.
“People make a team, and I can see that the people in our team are very talented, determined and working flat out to make us competitive again. Honda is not going to remain in this situation for very long. The team is focussing on finding all the problems with the car, and everyone is pulling together very well.
“Of course it has been a difficult start to the season but it is at these times that we have to support everyone in the team, whether at the factory or in the race or test team or at Tochigi in Japan. And of course the race drivers. Jenson and Rubens have a tough job to do at the moment, and they need support too.â€
Although he hasn’t spent a lot of time in the RA107, Klien will be in the driving seat at the Paul Ricard track in France, testing out some of the new changes. “We have some updates for the car coming in Barcelona for the test,” Klien explained. “When we go to Paul Ricard after the race in Spain, I will have 2 days in the car during which I hope we can make further progress.
“Even though the new regulations mean that I have been very limited in terms of testing this season, doing only 1000kms in the new car, I am doing everything I can to help the team and contribute in every way possible. In previous years, test drivers would do perhaps 10,000 or 15,000 km of testing, but that is no longer possible.
“It is frustrating, but my jov is to support Honda whenever required and work towards my personal objective of racing and winning for the team in the future. In the meantime, I have been using the great weather we have been enjoying in Austrai to do a lot of cycling in the mountains so that I am as fit as possible.”
