Honda Sets Out Testing in Japan for the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix
Honda Racing plans a head start as they set out for testing the new Honda Parts in Japan. With nothing to lose, Honda Racing say they plan to debut several different aerodynamic concepts on their 2007 car at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Jacky Eeckelaert, the team’s director of engineering, says they had always planned to introduce some new performance parts on the RA107 in time for the Fuji race. But with the team’s dismal showing this season, they have decided to debut and test parts which will end up on next year’s car as well.
“The Fuji upgrade was always planned for the last three races,” he tells Autosport magazine. “But now with the arrival of (Loic Bigois and John Owen) in the aero department it will be different from what we originally planned because we have new philosophies and different concepts from their previous teams. And they want to try those out on this year’s car.”
“We clearly know what is wrong on the car. Anything that touches the aerodynamic side, the guys all agree that it is an area where we are lagging behind. The concept has been pushed too far in any given direction – which worked pretty well with the Michelin tire but not with the Bridgestone, so we’re prepared for change.”
“Where we are in the championship, it doesn’t make any difference.”
Honda have scored just a single point through 12 races and trail Honda-supported but underfunded Super Aguri in the championship. Eeckelaert says whatever changes they opt to try out in Japan can’t be any worse that what they’ve got already on the tack.
“Anything we can try on this year’s car that can help us for next year is not a waste of time,” he explained. “That’s why I’m quite pleased that they already want to change the concept a bit around the front-end of the car to see if we have a good correlation between car and track. And we’ll see if it improves the car’s performance.”