Formula 1 News

Honda: 2008 German GP preview 

Ross Brawn: “The wet race at Silverstone gave us the opportunity to combine driver experience and team performance to achieve a very well deserved podium finish for Rubens. The team worked extremely well throughout the race to take advantage of the opportunities which opened up, aided by an excellent drive and outstanding tyre feedback from Rubens. Our first podium of the season was of course a big morale boost, however it would be unrealistic to expect a repeat of this result in dry track conditions. Following the test at Hockenheim last week, we will be introducing the next step of aerodynamic, mechanical and engine performance upgrades for the RA108. The test allowed our engineers to gain a better understanding of our recent lack of qualifying pace, so we will be aiming for an improvement on our grid positions as the foundation for a strong race performance. With changeable weather predicted for the weekend, it could be an interesting race.”

Rubens Barrichello: “It was fantastic to wake up on the Monday morning after Silverstone and see the trophy! To step onto the podium again was an unexpected but deserved outcome to our British Grand Prix weekend and I was so pleased to have achieved the result for the team. However we have to keep our focus and continue to improve the performance of the RA108 as we are fully aware that our result at Silverstone was assisted by the wet conditions. We made a small step at the test so it will be interesting to see how the car performs against our midfield competitors this weekend. My first victory in Formula One came at Hockenheim back in 2000 so this circuit is very special to me. The layout changes mean that it is a different venue now from the track that I used to enjoy so much, however it’s still a good circuit. Overtaking is possible, particularly under heavy braking, and with changeable weather, this can make for an exciting race.”

Jenson Button: “Our aims for Germany are as always to get the best out of the car and hopefully achieve a good result. It is so incredibly competitive in the midfield pack at the moment that it is almost impossible to make predictions. Our test at Hockenheim was successful, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that relates to our performance this coming weekend. I have always enjoyed racing at Hockenheim and I have some great memories from previous races here after finishing on the podium in 2004 and 2005. There are good overtaking opportunities and you can see some great battles, which makes the racing exciting for the fans who always pack the grandstands here. The track can be quite a challenge if the heat and humidity levels are high, and the medium to slow speed corners put quite a bit of stress on the tyres.”

source: Honda Racing