Honda plan radical upgrades for Fuji

Honda Racing are to try out radical new concepts on their RA107 at next month's Japanese Grand Prix in a bid to try and race-test components planned for their 2008 car

The team are looking at making a series of modifications to their current machine for the Fuji event in an attempt to get a head start on their work on next year's machine.

The new parts, which will include forward and main rear bargeboards, will be the first that have come from new aerodynamicists Loic Bigois and John Owen, who joined the team in July.

Honda's director of engineer Jacky Eeckelaert told this week's Autosport: "The Fuji upgrade was always planned for the last three races. But now with the arrival of the new guys in the aero department it will be different from what we originally planned, because we have new philosophies and different concepts from their previous teams.

"And they want to try those out on this year's car - even though this year's car has been designed around another concept.

"Nevertheless, they want to give it another try. And why not? Where we are in the championship, it doesn't make any difference."

With Honda having only scored one point so far this season and their current form making it unlikely they will add to that tally soon, the team admit that their focus is very much on making as much progress as possible with their 2008 car.

"Anything we can try on this year's car that can help us for next year is not a waste of time," explained Eeckelaert.

"That's why I'm quite pleased that they already want to change the concept a bit around the front-end of the car to see if we have a good correlation between car and track. And we'll see if it improves the car's performance."