Honda to fight for the championship

[davewilson]

Honda Racing F1 are gunning for the title in 2007, with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello in a good position to take wins, according to Gil de Ferran, the teams Sporting Director.

"Both Jenson and Rubens are in a position to fight for the championship," said de Ferran at the Autosport International Show. "The fact that they are with us for a second season is a positive, and for a second season together is a positive - they learn each other.

"Rubens learned how the team operate and, as you saw, our performance in the latter part of the year was a team well coordinated, I would say, and hopefully this will carry on."

Speaking of his drivers, de Ferran, a long time supporter of Jenson Button, heaps more praise on the Briton. "Jenson today is certainly one of the top F1 drivers on the grid and a very accomplished driver, a very experienced driver. He has got it all. He is aggressive, fast, knows how to deal with the team and understands the car very well. His level is very high indeed.

"I think that weekend (Hungary) will stay in my mind for a long time as the weekend that all the people were able to see the abilities that we could see in Jenson," he added, talking of Button's maiden win in August.

"I guess when you work with the guy all the time, you look at his data and what he does in the car, I gained a greater admiration for Jenson the closer I got to him. I saw the way he drove the car and his attitude to the team and so Hungary was the opportunity to show to the world what he could do as a driver. And hopefully in the future he will have more opportunity."

Button saw of the competition from his then new team mate, Rubens Barrichello, but de Ferran is sure that the Brazilian will improve in 2007.

"He had a lot of things to adapt to when he moved to our team," explained Gil. "The tyres were very different to what he was used to, many of the systems in the car were very different to what he was used to, but he brought a lot to the team.

"He is a very fast driver. Rubens is a driver who knows exactly what he needs to be quick, so he was precise with the engineers about what was needed to help and improve.

"He is a fantastic driver and a driver who has driven for some great teams, Ferrari first and foremost."

The Stig