So who do Honda Have to sack/hire?
Discussion
mikeyboy said:
Not blaming the team for this last weekends results, but overall the Honda team is a front running team in performance but sorely lacking in race day strategy and discipline so who has to go and why or who should be brought in to give them more on the day?
They need someone in the vein of Pat Symonds/Ross Brawn to sort the tactical side of things. Geoff Willis is a good bloke but he's not exactly setting the world alight...
I also think that Nick Fry is FAR to smiley-nice-guy to be effective. I get the impression he has his strings pulled by Honda in Japan and does what he's told.
Also Jenson, while a damn good driver and not really at fault for the current poor performance, could use a bit more of a ruthless edge.
I think they are one of the few top teams that are NOT using flexible wings. This is because they have been stitched up by the FIA and the Pirahna Club in the past and are probably being stitched up again. I belive that this is happening because the Pirahna Club are scared of Honda's potential.
Once they get thier flexi-wing sorted they will be closer to the others.
Once they get thier flexi-wing sorted they will be closer to the others.
It think it was a mistake to sack Richards. Even if Fry is capable of doing as good a job they shouldn't have disrupted the team like that. I agree that they could probably do with a 'tactical mastermind' like Brawn or Symonds. On the other hand McLaren don't seem to have anyone in that role; I guess Dennis must do it.
RobbieMeister said:
I think they are one of the few top teams that are NOT using flexible wings. This is because they have been stitched up by the FIA and the Pirahna Club in the past and are probably being stitched up again. I belive that this is happening because the Pirahna Club are scared of Honda's potential.
Once they get thier flexi-wing sorted they will be closer to the others.
Do you have any evidence or is that speculation?
SamHH said:
It think it was a mistake to sack Richards. Even if Fry is capable of doing as good a job they shouldn't have disrupted the team like that. I agree that they could probably do with a 'tactical mastermind' like Brawn or Symonds. On the other hand McLaren don't seem to have anyone in that role; I guess Dennis must do it.
It will be interesting to see what the new prodrive team can turn up. I personally believe that they will hit the ground not only running but sprinting and will easily leapfrog teams such as red bull and even toyota. what price a Prodrive car beating a honda in a race in the first season? course theyll need a half decent engine for that to happen...
paolow said:
I personally believe that they will hit the ground not only running but sprinting and will easily leapfrog teams such as red bull and even toyota. what price a Prodrive car beating a honda in a race in the first season? course theyll need a half decent engine for that to happen...
I wouldn't be that surprised either. As to the engine, won't be a ferrari, won't be a honda nor a toyota, possibly BMW or who knows they may get Porsche interested! I vaguely remember reading about that they were interested in getting back in as a supplier.
I think Prodrive won't have things easy when they enter, and I can't see them being competitive with Toyora or Redbull out ofthe box. The shear volume of R&D and aero work that is required to be competitive in F1 is something that they have not encoutered as an organisiation so far. Having said that they are an excellent organisation and I would expect to see them making steady progress up the grid over their first few years of competition.
[quote=egomeister] The shear volume of R&D and aero work that is required to be competitive in F1 is something that they have not encoutered as an organisiation so far. quote]
agreed except for the fact that as an organisation they ran a car until two years ago. BAR. which is how we got onto this in the first place.
agreed except for the fact that as an organisation they ran a car until two years ago. BAR. which is how we got onto this in the first place.
The top management at BAR was Prodrive, but the technical staff were all old BAR. Prodrive still have a lot to learn about F1 engineering...
As for what Honda need to do to get to the top step? Not too much really - general recruitment in all technical areas, perhaps concetrating on simulations and strategy and a hungry and techically adept young second driver to push Jenson would be enough in my opinion.
As for what Honda need to do to get to the top step? Not too much really - general recruitment in all technical areas, perhaps concetrating on simulations and strategy and a hungry and techically adept young second driver to push Jenson would be enough in my opinion.
RobbieMeister said:
I think they are one of the few top teams that are NOT using flexible wings. This is because they have been stitched up by the FIA and the Pirahna Club in the past and are probably being stitched up again. I belive that this is happening because the Pirahna Club are scared of Honda's potential.
Once they get thier flexi-wing sorted they will be closer to the others.
You reckon Ron gets special treatment from the FIA? Pull the other one. RD is a racer, like Sir Frank.
Honda has shown pace in qualifying this year, but it can't translate that into results for various reasons.
If you're referring to the 'fuel ballast' issue then that was merely a case of BAR running bent and getting caught. It happens to everyone occasionally.
no.53 said:
I think prodrive probably learnt alot about engineering whilst developing the Subaru WRC programme over the last few years!
Thet sure did, but rally and F1 are worlds apart in terms of budgets required and the technology employed. Certain aspects of rally cars are probably in advance of f1 technology (mainly down to how the regs are written) but other aspects such as composite design and aerodynamics f1 is leagues ahead.
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