Will the 2009 F1 rules allow Honda to catch McLaren, Ferrari & the rest?”

No

hahahahah

I think Honda is clearly headed for a big improvement next year- partially because of their devotion to developing next year’s car, but primarily because of the leadership of Ross Brawn and the new people he’s bringing into the team. (Including possibly Alonso.)

I would also expect BMW to take another step forward. They’ve been working on development of the 2009 car for a good bit, and the resources they’re putting into F1 are starting to bear fruit and stir momentum. Plus, they have one of the best development drivers on the circuit in Heidfeld to help guide it. Their main concern is retaining Kubica.

Toyota look to be a team on the upswing. It’ll be interesting to see where they’re at next week.

BMW, I believe, will be in the best position to make a strong leap in performance combined with talented drivers and strong resources. Hopefully this will see them contendign for wins week in and week out..

Williams may also ahve an advantage, but unless the spending from bigger teams slows down, I don’t see them challenging the big-budget squads for championships.

And again, why don’t the FIA do the practical thing with the cost-cutting vision and ban refuelling?

Here’s to Honda going up the field. Hopefully, they will be consistently in the points next year. If all these resources behind the 2009 effort don’t add up to anything less than consistent point scoring – something is seriously amiss at Honda.

BMW and either one of Ferrari and Mclaren

http://www.britsonpole.com/f1-could-mclaren-really-develop-two-separate-cars-post720

V has based his article in one´s written on McLaren´s fan site:

http://www.f1network.net/main/s135/st130387.htm

No

Honda were rubbish last year, they were rubbish last year and will be rubbish next year. Bear in mind the team recently said it was working in four wind tunnels. How can they be working in foru tunnels and produce nothing.

Ross Brawn and co went to Ferrari as a team with its own ethos and Todt had total control of Ferrari so could give them carte blanche to get the job done. Ross is on his own at Honda(with Rubens) and has only Nick Fry to act as a buffer between him and Japan.

Honda lost the plot somewhere 5 or 6 years ago and all their motorsports programs fell apart. They owned Moto GP and didn’t have the sense to realise that Rossi was a little bit special and all they had to do to keep winning was keep him on their bike. They blew it and Rossi took his team to Yamaha and one his first race and championship. Yamaha hadn’t been a threat to anyone sonce the 80s but Honda through mis-management handed over Rossi, Burgess and co.

Williams seem very confident about their KERS program and it has to be remembered as far as F1 is concerned McLaren invented KERS so you have to expect them to be strong. Albeit with the rider that KERS, push to pass and movable aero has not place in F1 or any other motor racing category.

Why shouldn’t it be the same with Honda? If Ross can persuade the Honda board members to give him carte blanche and choose the best people for the job, not bike designers, for example and if Alonso can take the Long view, then Honda might be a very, very good prospect.

Jean – think you’re right there with Williams (sadly) and Renault’s mass damper.

To be honest, I don’t have enough development experience in Formula 1 cars. Everyone knows my background is as a motorcycle chassis designer. Motorcycles never use downforce. In F1, aero is maybe 70 or 80% of the performance – in this area I have no experience. Everyone in our team knows this.

I’m hoping Williams might be able to catch up with the new rules – I don’t think they’ve forgotten how to build winning cars but they don’t have the money to do it nowadays.