Honda not expecting big form upturn

But despite not bringing much extra speed to the car, the team think the parts will be judged a big success if they can give them a head-start in their preparations for their 2008 car.

Honda's troublesome RA107 will be fitted with new front and rear bargeboards, a new floor, revised sidepod profiles and a new bridge front wing.

The new parts were tested for the first time at Jerez in Spain last week and the team are hoping this weekend's race debut will assure them that they understand what they need to do for next year's car.

Honda's direct of engineering Jacky Eeckelaert said: "The idea is not especially that we finish the season on a high. So it's not the kit that transforms the car into a McLaren in terms of performance. To do that would need a complete redesign of the car.

"The idea behind this is more to gain track experience with these new concepts. In terms of total downforce, we might even lose a bit compared to this year, but it will improve the balance of the car a lot - from what we've seen in the wind tunnel.

"We need to check this on the track, and get driver feedback, in the ultimate test of a race. We have three races, on three different tracks, so it's more about that.

"It's not a focus about finishing on a high but about testing concepts that will take us in the right direction. Concepts that we will have on the car next year and is a good correlation with the tunnel work and the track.

"We will compare the old bodywork but we want to do as much mileage as possible with the new aero kit to check that the new sensitivities we've measured are like we've seen in the tunnel."

Eeckelaert claimed that the biggest problems the team have faced with their RA107 are its lack of aerodynamic performance and balance issues.

"On the aero side, this car has two major problems," he said. "It's lacking aerodynamic efficiency, so the car is not efficient enough.

"And another thing is a balance problem. which is basically due to the aero concept and is worse on the Bridgestones than on the Michelin because of tyre characteristics - deformation and mechanical characteristics.

"This balance characteristic means the balance between braking and turning in and accelerating from the apex to the exit is shifting a lot on the car. At least, this part, we should improve quite a lot by going to this new concept.

"The main thing is we hope to learn and assure ourselves that we're heading in the right direction."