Brawn bullish over Honda potential

Team Principal Ross Brawn is convinced Honda still have a bright future despite writing off the team’s entire 2008 season.

The former Ferrari supremo has returned to Formula One after a sabbatical at the helm of the struggling Japanese outfit and has been tasked with reversing a dramatic decline that saw them pick up only six points last term.

Brawn did concede his main focus will be on producing a competitive car that will take advantage of a raft of new regulations brought in for the 2009 campaign.

But the 53-year-old insisted he has been encouraged by what he has seen from the team to date and is eternally optimistic over Honda’s long-term prospects.

“When I joined the team, obviously you don’t know what to expect,” he said.

“I had some ideas from outside but I was very pleased generally with what I found. I think we’ve got the resources pretty much all there to do the job.

“What was most pleasing was the attitude and commitment of the people. I think they all realise the team was underachieving. I’m very pleased with what I’ve seen in the first few months.”

He added: “There is, in my view, an opportunity in 2009 with the new regulations and we have to seize that opportunity.

“At the moment, we’re playing catch-up on the aerodynamic side but with new regulations, everyone starts again, so we’re going to have a very strong focus on 2009.

“We’ll match our 2008 programme to our 2009 requirements but it’s fair to say that the most important thing for us is to put together a really strong 2009 package and do as good a job as we can with the 2008 car.

“I’m very optimistic for the team. I’m meeting a very good attitude and commitment.

“There’s no reason why Honda shouldn’t, long-term, achieve the things that have been achieved by the other top teams. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Driver Jenson Button was also quick to praise Brawn’s influence after seeing the team take a big step forward in testing at Jerez last week.

“I feel we have a lot more technical direction than we had before,” the Brit said.

“Areas where I wouldn’t know where we were lacking, he has pointed out. And the great thing is with Ross, people don’t just say, ’he might be the top man but he doesn’t know what he’s talking about’.

“He’s been there many times before and won so many world championships.

“He’s also a very calming influence to everyone. He’s not going in there shouting, he’s very calm and lets everyone know his thoughts and I do think he brings the best out of the workforce.”