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Honda's 2001 challenge begins in earnest next weekend as the new Formula
One season gets underway with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne
(March 2-4). The start of an exciting new era will see Honda, the world's
largest engine manufacturer, supply two teams with identical specification
'works' engines.
Honda is the only Formula 1 engine manufacturer to focus its efforts on
two teams. With BAR Honda and Jordan Honda benefiting from Honda Power in
2001, Honda has underlined its avowed intention once again to achieve
success at the pinnacle of world motorsport. Four top drivers will benefit
from 'Honda Power' this season, doubling the company's opportunities to
capitalize on the high performance of its latest breed of F1 engine. After the company's stunning return to F1 competition last year, when it
powered BAR Honda to fifth place in the Constructors' Championship, the
Honda engineers have spent the close season modifying and developing the
powerful 3-litre V10 unit. The result is the even more advanced RA001E
that has completed over 9,000 kilometers of pre-season testing. "We are really looking forward to the new season," says Kazutoshi
Nishizawa, Technical Director of Honda Racing Development. "We have enjoyed a very productive and intensive
program of testing, but now the real action begins. We are well prepared for the first race and can go to Australia with
confidence."
This week
Both Honda-powered teams made their final preparations for the coming
season this week. Jordan Honda spent two days at Silverstone, shaking down
its third new chassis and completing systems checks before Melbourne.
Meanwhile, BAR Honda traveled to the nearby Santa Pod raceway to undertake straight-line work and pitstop practices.
Seven tons of equipment to Australia
The extension of Honda's engine supply to two teams, necessitates not only
more personnel attending the races. In addition to the 40 engineers and
support staff traveling to Australia, Honda has sent more than seven
tons of equipment on a six-week round-trip that takes in Australia, Malaysia and Brazil. And this does not even include the engines! The level of resources needed by the modern Formula 1 operations is
usually transported in the official race trucks during the European season. But for the Inter-Continental 'fly-away' races, computer stacks,
toolboxes, radios and antennae, TVs, electronics, all IT equipment and
communications materials are loaded aboard a fleet of Boeing 747s. Honda's
freight left the UK today and should arrive in the pitlane in Melbourne on
Monday. Honda is well prepared for the coming season; the teams are ready, the
drivers are ready. As the lights go out for the first time in Melbourne
next Sunday, a new era will begin in Honda's glorious motorsport history. Race Details
Grand Prix Australia
Circuit Albert Park, Melbourne
Circuit Length 5.303km
Race start time 14:00 local (04:00 CET)
Race length 58 laps
2000 winner Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
BAR Honda 2000 Villeneuve 4th, Zonta 6th .
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Enrique Bernoldi