Honda welcome Barrichello's experience

"Rubens has clearly got a huge amount of experience," said Willis during the launch of the team's new car in Barcelona.

"I think it is more than 200 races, which makes him the second most experienced driver in the field.

"He is a quick driver, he knows what it is like to help a team up to winning, he knows what it is like to win himself, certainly right from the start he and Jenson have clicked, there is some friendly but very strong competition between them and I think they are both up for it.

"He brings the experience, he is also quite a sensitive driver, he quickly picked up the characteristics of last year's car, he is sensitive to the engine, he has driven the V10 as well as a lot of miles in the V8 as well."

Barrichello has joined the Honda team after six seasons with Ferrari, with whom he won nine races. During that time, the Italian squad won all the constructors' titles and five drivers' crown thanks to Michael Schumacher.

"I think Ferrari operate very much as we do," added Willis. "You try to give the driver all the information he needs apart from the ones somebody else would want. He has certainly. He knows what he wants, he has got a strong ability to lead from within the cockpit which is very important.

"He has come and talked to us about things that were strong or weak on the Ferrari side, and with the car, and from that we are trying to work out what they are doing. But largely we are benefiting because he has got so much experience of driving a racing car."

The Brazilian will partner Briton Jenson Button and third driver Anthony Davidson and Willis believes they make for a very strong line-up.

"With Rubens and Jenson and Anthony there is a strong team spirit in the drivers who all respect each other and that is important. Put that in with the rest of the team and you have a very strong feeling in the team that we can go out and do the very best we can."