Honda came back into Formula 1 in 2006 and proceeded to pump millions of dollars into a team which managed one race win but very little else. In 2007 they hired Ross Brawn who decided to limit development on the 2008 car and concentrate on developing a new car for the new regulations in 2009.

The 2008 season was therefore a disaster for Honda, but by the end of the year they had a car for 2009 which had had much more development than anyone else, a couple of decent drivers, and the genius of Ross Brawn. So of course they did the sensible thing and withdrew from the sport.

Along comes Mercedes and sticks their engine into the back of a car developed with Honda’s money; and the team duly takes first and second places in Australia last weekend. Presumably some sacrificial swords are being sharpened back in Japan.

Jenson Button, who won the race, made much of how tough life had been over the past few months. Don’t feel too sorry for him. He has made an estimated sixty million pounds out of F1 already, and has recently acquired a Japanese/Argentinian lingerie model as a girlfriend.

michibata

Poor Jenson.