Honda's push back to the top

[Bowsey]

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BMW's former chief designer Jorg Zander is to join Honda as deputy technical director.

Zander will work alongside Shuhei Nakamoto at Honda, which has gone on a proactive recruitment drive as it attempts to recover from its disappointing start to 2007.

Honda recently confirmed that it had signed aerodynamicist Loic Bigois from Williams, who joins several other new additions in Honda's design team.

Zander previously worked for Honda as chief engineer for mechanical and transmission during the team's BAR days, in 2002 to 2005.

He then worked alongside Bigois at Williams before moving to BMW - initially as chief designer, then focusing specifically on the car's powertrain.

"I am delighted to be returning to Honda and to England, where I know I will feel very much at home again," Zander said.

"Honda is a fantastic group of people.

"It is also a team with enormous potential and the determination to fight hard to achieve its ambitions.

"I am very excited that I will be a part of that."

Team boss Nick Fry was thrilled by what he described as Zander's 'homecoming'.

"In my opinion Jorg is one of the most creative and energetic engineers in Formula 1 and I am delighted that he has decided to return home," Fry said.

Zander's colleague Nakamoto said the number of new technical signings at Honda should not reflect badly on its current staff.

"This is the latest in a series of key appointments that we have made in order to bolster our team," Nakamoto said.

"We have some very talented people at Honda but Formula 1 is a rapidly changing sport and we need to evolve in order to keep pace.

"With the steady performance improvements we have made over the past few races and a strengthened technical team, I am sure that the difficulties we have seen in the first half of 2007 are now behind us."

Honda struggled to break out of the midfield in the opening rounds of the season after a multitude of problems with its RA107 chassis.

But the team has shown better form in recent weeks, with Jenson Button scoring Honda's first point of 2007 in France.

Honda seems to be buying 1/2 the people in the paddock to get them back to winning ways Do you think Honda can get back to winning/ up at the front relatively quickly, I mean look at Williams, after 1996, they have slipped down and never been able o get back to the top

[reyhan]

With the right people and big bugget it is possible, at the present the competition is far more greater then 10 years ago but honda was very good in 2004 I think, last year too, so let's wait what happens

[iceman1]

Yeah, I know they will definitely improve but there are many other teams improving you see. BMW, Red Bull, Williams, ProDrive coming up, Super Aguri is developing really well..etc.

So if all improve, it all rounds up. Honda are back on the same position. You cannot expect all teams to be the bes

[donald29]

Benneton/Renault went down hill after 1995 to a real low in 2001 but won theword title 2005/2006 so it is possible. I don't think Honda will reach the top though.

[HamiltonF1]

They have only won 1 race why do they say back winning they never did.

[iceman1]

Hopefully in 2009 they could be very competitive

[reyhan]

Well.they defenetly see themselves as a top team, always saying WE WANT TO BE BACK ON TOP and they just hed one lucky win Yellow_Colorz_PDT_50

[iceman1]

I think the Honda has to be more competitive for the honour of the team, ::huh::

[Bowsey]

From ITV-F1

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Honda's sporting director Gil de Ferran is to leave the team with immediate effect.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner had joined Honda in early 2005, but was not happy with how his position had developed.

"I am obviously very disappointed to be leaving the Honda F1 team," de Ferran said.

"I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for Honda, with whom I have been successfully associated for more than years.

"Consequently, my decision to leave has not been an easy one.

"I simply feel that I came to this team to fulfil a particular role and it has not materialised as I had hoped.

"I would like to thank everyone at the team for the support I have been given and I wish them luck in the future."

Team boss Nick Fry admitted that de Ferran had become unhappy with his role at Honda.

"I am disappointed that Gil is leaving our team," Fry said.

"Since he joined us in 2005 we have enjoyed a very positive relationship.

"However, a Formula 1 team is rather like a jigsaw puzzle in that every piece has to fit precisely in its place.

"Gil has become increasingly uncomfortable in his role and feels the time has now come to seek fresh opportunities.

"We are very much hoping that Gil will choose to maintain close links with the Honda family."

De Ferran was a contemporary of David Coulthard and Rubens Barrichello in the junior formulae before switching to American racing.

He first worked with Honda in Champ Cars in 1996, and took two titles with its engines before switching to the rival IRL Indycar Series.

He retired from racing at the end of 2003 and took up his position with Honda's F1 squad a year later.

Honda has had a difficult season, having managed to score only one point in the opening nine races.

I think this is bad for the team. I always felt he was one of the good people in the team, which made the team competitive. I could also be viewed that he is jumping a sinking ship

[megasyxx]

yeah....when coughan and stepney arrive together at honda with their former team's technical infos Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 :toot: :toot: :toot: :toot:

[maltafan]

yeah....when coughan and stepney arrive together at honda with their former team's technical infos Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04

yeah, that's a big possibility!

[Bowsey]

yeah....when coughan and stepney arrive together at honda with their former team's technical infos Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_04 :toot: :toot: :toot: :toot:

Probably will happen, in this season or lies and corruption