22/05/2007
NEWS STORY
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Helios writes
Heading to Monaco, it is hard to see where the Honda Team can muster much enthusiasm. Our recent test demonstrated small gains over the longer runs alongside a detour back into the familiar ground of shattered engines and palls of smoke. If nothing else all this walking is improving the fitness levels of the drivers and at Monaco fast legwork can be a requirement. Who can forget Jacques Villeneuve's mad dash for the garage and the spare car when Jenson lost it and caused a multiple pile up in his early days as a rookie driver.
It seems that Nick Fry is less than pleased over the success of Super Aguri in scoring their first point at Barcelona, being quoted as saying he hates the fact that the works cars have been beaten by what is effectively a "customer team". He further states that Super Aguri should not expect this success to continue as they are a relatively poorly funded team with limited resources.
Well there is an element of truth to that but it shouldn't be forgotten that a successful team is not just built around a mountain of cash backed up by sharp (or not so sharp) marketing hype.
Renault have just won a double back to back world championship whilst being funded to a level considerably below that of many other teams and the lesson is not how much you have, but knowing how and where to put that money to best use to construct a car that wins.
In Helios' opinion the Super Aguri management at Leafield will be more successful in that respect because quite simply having less makes you more focussed on getting it right. Combined with a hugely experienced management team with a passion for racing, they deserved that point and it probably won't be the last one this season either.
Not that the success hasn't caused a little tension between the teams. Honda employees on secondment have been a little 'bitey' of late to some of the good humoured digs received from their Super Aguri counterparts in the garage over the fact that the larger team is being beaten by its tiny sibling. Normally mick
taking banter goes hand in hand with everything in F1, partly because of the characters involved and partly as a way of releasing the huge pressure that is placed on employees over the long hours we work. Lately there has been a bit of an edge to this humour between Honda and Super Aguri employees as its been realised that the little team is a real threat and the source of not a little embarrassment both in the boardroom and in the pub.
At the top end of the team, I'm sure that the reason Nick Fry "hates" the Super Aguri point so much is that it probably represents another nail in the coffin of his career as CEO of the Honda Racing F1 Team. One race each season can make such a difference. Last year Button's win undoubtedly saved Nick Fry for another year but maybe Barcelona 2007 and that one Super Aguri point will finish it.
The rumour in Brackley just now is that if the car isn't sorted by Silverstone, then Nick will be buying his own tickets to any races he wants to attend after that. Not that this would be likely as the boys here in Brackley have serious doubt whether he has enough interest or passion for racing to actually put his own money down for a ticket, but then again, that it a charge that could be levelled at many within the F1 paddock.
There is talk also that Nick believes he may be eligible for some award or even a knighthood for services to motorsport and the environment for his backing of the Myearthdream marketing exercise. Certainly with the sort of politicians we have these days anything's possible, if you fund it correctly or put the right spin on it.
Recent visits by Jenson to the factory haven't exactly lifted us troops as he looks right down on his chin strap in terms of motivation and genuine belief in the team. He says one thing but his body language betrays another. It's a shame as we all know it's not fundamentally a driver issue. However that's not to say we wouldn't wish for a CEO who has the balls to pull the drivers up when they need it instead of tip toeing round them like some starstruck groupie.
Indeed the race debriefs in Brackley have degenerated into rather sombre affairs of late. I was reminded of British POW's being paraded by Saddam Hussein in the 1991 Gulf war when Jacky (Eeckelaert) and Mariano (Alperin-Bruvera) were put in front of us to explain where the car was and how things were doing.
Both looked uncomfortable and it seemed rather unfair to me. Neither of these guys is a front man and although both are hugely knowledgeable and experienced, I came away feeling we had been fed the company line rather than being told what they really believed. A real shame as if you can't have truth in the family, you really are lost.
I would have preferred to have seen Graham Miller in front of us explaining and reassuring us that the wind tunnel is working correctly and that he has ensured that Mariano and the Aero team have a tool they can trust to work with. What for example has been done about increasing the CFD computer resources? Recently the CFD team dropped all third party work to focus on race car development but as anyone knows with CFD its all about computer time and power to plough through the massive mathematical models used to analyse performance that is crucial.
A rival team announced this year that they had invested in one of the world's largest supercomputers to assist them. CFD modelling in no way replaces wind tunnel work but it can provide valuable data in detailed analysis of certain aero parts and assemblies. Right now Honda needs all the help they can get to get on top of the RA107 and move it forwards. A significant investment in additional CFD capability would assist that move and would provide a far more beneficial gain than shedding outside work.
Also it would have been nice to have some of the Honda men up from Bracknell to give us some feedback on how they are addressing the engine issues. Reliability is becoming a worrying consideration once more in testing and that doesn't bode well for our forthcoming races.
Finally, could we please lose the cameras at the race debriefs - it's all a little creepy. These debriefs are meant to be an opportunity for us to ask honest open questions of our management, design team or race team, including drivers, such that we won't face any repercussions. That isn't how it feels these days and we know it isn't just for viewing by the night shift.
Five more days until the Monaco GP and the possibility that we may just do a little better on a street circuit. So long as quali goes ok and the car is in the top eight, we might finish in the points. Luckily the overtaking opportunities at Monaco are few and that should help. However the instability of the car may hurt us more than normal due to the highly twisting, squirt and brake nature of the circuit.
Still at least we will be there this year and that has to be better than 2005 when we were banned!