Honda set to shift focus to 2009

Team principal Ross Brawn has made no secret of the fact that the team's main focus should be on 2009 but still wanted to see how much extra speed could be got from their current RA108.

However, with updates now being manufactured and readied for the British and German Grands Prix, the team's design efforts are now almost entirely focused on their 2009 challenger.

"There are just two or three things we are doing with this year's car, so there will be a phased introduction of (new parts) that will start at Silverstone," said Brawn.

"It is just a question of making the bits now. The concept work has been done on these new areas and they are being detailed and manufactured at the moment."

Honda's F1 CEO Nick Fry said he was optimistic at the future direction of the team - and just where he thinks they will be in 2009.

"I never had any doubts that we will get there because this is science and not art," he said. "There is a bit of luck involved in the end and you have to take it step by step.

"When Honda bought this team it was a great marketing outfit but it lacked the physical things you need for a good team. When you have those you can attract a Ross Brawn and senior level engineers, and then you can start thinking about winning consistently.

"What we need to be able to do to beat Ferrari and McLaren on a good day and it is clear we are not going to do that this year."