Honda abandon Fuji aero updates

Honda Racing have abandoned their planned Fuji aerodynamic updates after conceding that there is little they can do to improve the under-performing RA107

The Japanese manufacturer evaluated the new aerodynamic concepts in Jerez testing last week, and had planed to race them in the final three events of this season.

But the new bargeboards and aerodynamic developments, including a bridge wing, did not bring any improvement to the car, and the team have decided against using them this season.

Honda Racing boss Nick Fry insists, however, that the team are still planning to use the concepts on their 2008 car, despite their failure to improve the current car.

"We misnamed the Fuji stuff - it was stuff destined for Fuji but probably a 'big bargeboard test' was a better way of putting it," he told autosport.com.

"We ran it at Jerez and it did exactly what the wind tunnel said it would - had a significant improvement to the balance of the car but didn't help downforce. It had some pluses and minuses.

"We decided to use some bits - but some of the bigger bits are not being used for that reason. It wasn't a great surprise. It was a bit of throwing the dice to see if we could come up with two sixes. We probably came up with two fours.

"We will continue to work with it but it literally had two days in the tunnel before it went on the track and it wasn't enough. We don't want to divert attention from next year's car so we're not holding out any great hopes."

Fry admitted that the failure of the new parts to improve the car proved that the RA107 was aerodynamically 'flawed'.

"The experiment in finding out the big bargeboards versus the smaller forward parts that we've got already was good, and it's certainly the direction we'll follow for next year.

"But it does demonstrate again that the aerodynamic concept of our current car is flawed and changing little bits or even relatively large bits doesn't have a significant effect. We're constantly reproving the same thing: we've got to wait for a new car to address the problems.

"We've changed more parts on this car this year than any previous cars. The guys at the factory have been turning out lots of bits. And even new parts - like new front and rear suspension and lots of aerodynamic parts - frankly haven't made a huge difference."