HONDA F1

The Honda Racing F1 Team will start Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix from just outside the top 10. Rubens Barrichello will lead the team’s challenge in 11th place, with Jenson Button starting just behind in 13th.

As was the case yesterday, the weather conditions at the Circuit de Catalunya were good. The ambient and track temperatures rose sharply during the morning, while the Honda Racing F1 Team was honing the set-ups of its RA108s during final practice, and with the ambient set at 24 degrees and the track temperature at 39 degrees, the team embarked on the qualifying session.

"The team has made good progress at each race so far this season, gaining in confidence and performing better on each occasion. Our recent development push on the RA108 with a new aerodynamic package, suspension modifications and driveability improvements showed pleasing results during the four-day test this week. I expect these developments to add to our competitiveness and improve our points scoring potential at the Spanish Grand Prix and the races to follow."

Round four of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship takes the Honda Racing F1 Team to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix. The 66-lap race is held at the 4.655km (2.892mile) Circuit de Catalunya and marks the start of Formula One's European season.

The Honda Racing F1 Team completed a successful four-day test session at the track last week, where new mechanical and aerodynamic components were evaluated on the RA108 car, and the team enters the Spanish Grand Prix weekend hoping to challenge for a points finish.

Team Principal Ross Brawn is expecting a noticeable improvement this weekend: “Our recent development push on the RA108 with a new aerodynamic package, suspension modifications and driveability improvements showed pleasing results during the four-day test this week. I expect these developments to add to our competitiveness and improve our points scoring potential at the Spanish Grand Prix and the races to follow.”

“We saw a significant lap time improvement,” says Rubens Barrichello, “with the new upgrades which is very pleasing, but as ever, we need to wait until the race weekend to determine how this will impact our position on the grid. I’m confident that we have continued to make good progress.”

“The circuit here is very familiar,” adds Jenson Button, “so we will make the best use of our time on track to fine-tune the set-up of the car. We hope to be challenging for a top ten qualifying position again which would put us in position for a strong race.