view photoHonda is "frustrated" to have abandoned Formula One on the eve of almost guaranteed success, new team owner Ross Brawn insists.
The Briton is now leading the Brackley-based camp following a management buyout, having bought it from the struggling Honda Motor Co. for a symbolic 1 British pound.
"I'm sure they were very frustrated at having to withdraw," Brawn, 54, told the Bloomberg news agency.
"I've had many notes from senior people at Honda, so they are frustrated because obviously the team has moved forward, but it was a necessity for their business."
The team netted embarrassing results in the last two years, but during 2008 invested millions of Honda dollars setting the groundwork for the current BGP 001 chassis.
With Mercedes power, the 'Brawn GP' car collected both poles and both wins from the opening two Grand Prix of 2009.
F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone is surprised the Japanese manufacturer did not realise it had overseen the design of a winning car before pulling out.
"They'd spent an awful lot of money, hadn't gotten anywhere and probably didn't realise the potential," he said last weekend in Malaysia.
"I'm sure if they had, they wouldn't have gone because all this would have been Honda otherwise."
A Honda spokeswoman declined to comment.
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I always liked Honda but was pissed off in the way they treated Jenson, He stood by them through thick and thin. It seems they didnt give a squat about him in the end,
Good luck Jenson
Here's a quid, can I have a Honda as well?
Honda, the whole team, the engines, and everything were TERRABLE. What makes those arse holes think that this would have been their year. Very nervy sons ofbitches aren't they. but als, they are out of F1, GREAT.
Speculation, supposition, nobody knows how a Honda engine would have performed in this car, so all you arm chair geniuses, do yourselves a favour and zip it.....
They'd have still had Honda power which was widely recognised as being less than the Mercedes engine, so clearly would not have been as competetive.
Honda should have dumped the IRL series and stayed in F1.The IRL is the most boring ever...........
I strongly suggest you guys a H - O T site for tall chix and guys-- ____Tall kiss C om ____ Im sure it will work for-- you. End your loney life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Serves them right.
too little too late. The Japs could not get it done
the honda engine was by no means a "dog", the problem that they had was getting the power onto the track, hence the two frustrating years of aerodynamic development which we are seeing the benefit now. honda made good engines and with the resources they had i reckon could have developed a lump at least the equal to mb or ferrari.
Brawn should give more credit to mercedes benz, lest they take away their engine for not doing so! They really could at a moments notice since they technically aren't even allowed to supply them
This all assumes that the Honda engine would have had as much power as the MB engine. I don't think that is the case. So the better question might be where would Jenson finish if his car had 20-30 less hp... would he be winning or just fighting for podiums... Toyota might well be the team on top if Honda were still in it.
penis
@#$%
unfortunate in a way because honda invested so much money and effort into getting the car right. however they can still even now be involved, there is plenty of advertising space on the car so hand over a few million and climb on board!
Weren't there times last year when the Honda showed great straight line speed, demonstrating an abundance of engine power, but was so poorly balanced that they lost it all in the subsequent corners? Either way, it's great the employees at Brawn are able to enjoy a storied season such as this after the dismal 2 they had previously.
Well Honda have to move on with their prudent decision to ensure they survive the economic turmoil........as F1 live reported Mercedes F1 committment back under cloud. The german carmaker is currently haemorrhaging a reported $1 billion per month, so drastic cost-saving measures - like capping executives pay - are believed to be on the agenda for the April 8 meeting. At the same time, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Vice President Norbert Haug in Malaysia last weekend said there could be no guarantees about the future of the Stuttgart based marque in F1.
On the other hand Force India finished in bottom 5 with their Mercedes engine...Mclaren not in top 10 in qualifying. I am sure Honda engine will still make it in top 6!
Oh yeah! what about the ultra reliable - & powerful - Mercedes engine (& gearbox)?
It seems Honda is assuming they would have had the same success Brawn GP is having now. With different personnel and a Mercedes engine maybe Brawn GP are better than Honda would have been. Since there are no Honda engines on the Formula 1 this season there's no way to know how good they might have been. Congrats to the entire Brawn GP team for taking the gamble. Honda needs to move on and not be 'frustrated'. It was their decision to leave, now deal with it.
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