The Team Formerly Known as Honda 26/02/2009 After a winterlong drama of contradictory announcements and rumors, we approach the opening of the season still not knowing the answer to the question: will Honda F1 be on the grid in Melbourne? The latest alleged news is that Ross Brawn is only waiting for the green light to commence testing and Nick Fry has wandered off into the wilderness. Some team member has reportedly said that there is an agreement in place and it remains only for the lawyers to give the thumbs up.It sounds very hopeful but I would not blame anyone for being a bit weary of the hope/despair roller coaster Honda have put us through over the last few months. Everyone and his dog have been mentioned as being on the point of buying the team and the Keystone Cops have been sent out regularly on dramatic but ill fated rescue attempts.The only thing that we have learned through all this is that either or both of Nick Fry and the Honda management are so fussy about buyers that their criteria can never be met. Honda demonstrated this last year when they turned down an Indian offer to buy Super Aguri because the investors wanted to put Karthikeyan in the car - and they learned nothing from the experience, it seems. Nick Fry's apparent sabotage of the sale of Honda F1 by his suggestion of a management buy-out was equally disastrous to the process.If we are skeptical of the latest rumors, I hardly think we can be accused of pessimism. Is this just more fluff designed to keep us on edge? I would suggest that one element of the rumors should give us at least a modicum of renewed hope. If Fry has really been removed from the picture, prospects must be brighter for the team.There is a good chance that this is correct since it has been Brawn who has been huffing and puffing of late while of Nick there has been no sign. Whether Nick's reputation for incompetence is correct or not, the mere fact that he has been seen in such a light must have put the brakes on any attempt to cut a deal that included him in the management team. Brawn is respected throughout F1, however, and he remains the team's major selling point.Even the fact that Brawn is still there is a good cause for optimism. He could easily have walked out at any time and been snapped up by another team. His continuing presence must surely mean that the team's survival remains possible.I have not stuck my neck out with any dubious predictions for a while so it is about time for a new one. Here it is: Honda F1 (rebadged but with what name is anyone's guess) will be on the grid in Melbourne. The car will be pretty hopeless and the team will break up in a welter of unpaid bills and broken promises after four races. Jenson Button will take a sabbatical, Ross Brawn and Bruno Senna will fill out application forms for employment with USF1. And Nick? Oh, I think we will hear eventually that Mr Fry has been taken on by RBS as the ideal manager to guide the bank through the recession.There, that should have helped the team no end. With my record on predictions, I cannot see how they can fail now...
Clive
Steven Roy I know F1 often looks at the aerospace industry for ideas. Looks like Honda have adopted NASA's system for setting launch dates when it comes to setting deadlines. Date Added: 26/02/2009
Clive Actually, it looks more like Honda have adopted an old retail trick - keep displaying the product in different ways and eventually someone will try it... Date Added: 26/02/2009
Filipe I'm still more optismitic than I probably should. My only prediction is that Brawn Racing or whatever name the teram uses will made Force India very happy by become the default last row team. Date Added: 26/02/2009
Uppili In hindsight, it seems Honda were right in not letting Spice Energy takeover Super Aguri. There was loud talk about taking over SA and continuing as a Honda customer team. Look where they are now with the recession...they aren't even cash rich to support the Indian A1GP team and pulled out of it!If Spice had bought the team, F1 would have been in serious trouble now, with two teams dieing at the same time. Date Added: 26/02/2009
Clive Filipe: It's a hard life back there at the tail end of the grid... ;) Date Added: 26/02/2009
Clive Uppili: True enough - better to let them fall by the wayside one by one, hey? ;) Date Added: 26/02/2009
Alianora La Canta Eight 403a forms have been filed at Companies House. These have the purpose of certifying that Honda GP have satisfied certain mortgages they previously had. This is generally a precursor to a big announcement - either of purchase or takeover.The rollercoaster should be coasting to a halt soon. Hopefully the train will still be on the track by that point. Date Added: 27/02/2009
Clive Alianora, you never cease to amaze me. Where on earth do you find such information?It does strike me that this could also be evidence that Honda is paying off the team's debts preparatory to closing it down - but I'll hope it is a better sign. Date Added: 27/02/2009
Nick Goodspeed I see that Ross Brawn and Nick Fry have taken over the reins of Honda. Sadly it would seem as though Ecclestone has his fingers in the pie as well. This will not bode well with the other teams I fear. The phrase "in league with the devil," comes to mind!http://www.autoracingdaily.com/news/formula1/honda-f1-to-be-on-grid-for-start-of-09-season-after-management-buyout/ Date Added: 27/02/2009
Speeder_76 Looks like this soap opera is arriving to an end. And also looks like that it will be a suprising end. Ross Brawn could maintain the same drivers of '08, and Bruno Senna might go to DTM, and ride a Mercedes car.And about the name? The hottest chance is "brackley F1 Team", which for me is a little rubbish. Why not get an old name of the past? That would be fun (and a lot of attention, too)But, anyway... soon will see the new car. Hopefuly! Date Added: 27/02/2009
Nick Goodspeed I wonder if Ecclestone's putting money into what was formerly Honda isn't a conflict of interest. I suppose we'll see what the marshals do over the season.... Date Added: 27/02/2009
Clive Yes, it looks as though Brawn is heading a management buy out funded by Honda, Bernie and FIA payments. Still no mention of Nick Fry so it looks as though he is out of the picture as rumored. I think we'll see the car at the Barcelona test just before the beginning of the season.Brackley F1 is the front runner for a name, apparently. Must admit that it's not exactly inspiring. Date Added: 27/02/2009
Clive Nick: Even Bernie said that it would be difficult for him to put money into the team because of legal problems. Presumably, he has found a way to get around such difficulties. But I don't think he will try to influence stewarding decisions in favor of the team. Bernie is too hard-headed to care whether the team does well or not - he will just want a good return on his money. Date Added: 27/02/2009
Nick Goodspeed I think I'd be feeling a bit sheepish if I were on pit row in coveralls with Honda logos ripped off and Ecclestone's ugly mug in its place!! Date Added: 27/02/2009
Alianora La Canta Brackley F1 is the front runner for a name, apparently. Must admit that it's not exactly inspiring. I hope they don't call it Brackley F1 because the first thing I think of when I think of the place is Force India's wind tunnel (which is in the same village). Probably not what the namers of the team intended... Date Added: 01/03/2009
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