The Observer

Honda's gain is Toyota's loss - and that's the case for every other team on the Formula One grid, for that matter.

No team succeeds solely because of one man, but Ross Brawn contributes more than most when he sets out to win races and championships.

Sure, Ferrari still won both world titles this year without him, but there were occasions when cracks showed in the way they went racing. He was missed from both the garage and pitwall.

Ross Brawn at the FIA hearing into the McLaren espionage case © LAT

Brawn's signing on Monday as Honda team principal is exciting news, and here's why. He doesn't need the monumental challenge he faces at woefully underperforming Honda. He is a wealthy man, his reputation as one of the great designer/engineers in motorsport history is secure. But incredibly, Brawn is still hungry. After 30-plus years, he still wants more.

This week he has spoken about the "challenge" being the key motivational factor. If he'd stayed at Ferrari, even moving into the team principal's role in place of Jean Todt, Brawn would have been slipping back into a team that knows exactly what it takes to win. More of the same would have been the minimum requirement.

So actually, is that why a move elsewhere is more attractive for Brawn? Perhaps he would have had more to lose if he'd become team principal at Ferrari, and he'd certainly have gained less credit for any success there because the team are already on top. Lifting a sleeping giant such as Honda would gain him more respect and probably deliver more job satisfaction.

But let's pause there a moment. It would be churlish of me to try and claim going to Honda is the easy option for Brawn compared to staying at Ferrari.

The 'green' team were so bad in 2007 that some improvement is inevitable next year. But getting back to where they were at the end of 2006, which is what Nick Fry is optimistically setting as a target, will be a mammoth task. Especially when there are so many other competitive midfield teams that have left them behind.

And Brawn's role, where he will be responsible for leading the design and engineering of the car as well as juggling the unique pressures of running the team, will test his patience and admired management capabilities to the full.

So can Brawn make the difference? Given time, yes, I believe he will. Because he is that good. And I'd be surprised if he has much time for distractions such as dodgy environmental campaigns or any other nonsense cooked up by the likes of Simon 'Spice Girls' Fuller. Get ready for Honda becoming a lean, mean racing machine - just as it always should have been.

Back in late April I was lucky enough to be one of the few journalists to speak to Ross Brawn this year. The Motorsport Industry Association had invited him to be guest speaker at one of their regular networking dinners, and kindly invited me and a colleague from another publication. It proved to be an illuminating evening.

Before dinner, we grabbed a quick word with Ross. You won't be surprised to read that he appeared relaxed and happy, breaking into that big smile of his with little prompting.

Ross Brawn and Nick Fry © Honda

Anyone who has been lucky enough to enjoy a lengthy break from work will understand exactly how he must have been feeling - and I'm speaking from experience here (don't ask!). The tension and stress drain away, allowing you to get some perspective back into your life.

Ross chatted about football and fishing, and then we got down to the nitty-gritty. The rumours were that Honda had already come a-calling, and he did not deny that he had been approached.

"To be frank I have had a few phone calls from different people and I've told them the same," he said. "I won't enter any discussions with anybody until my situation is clear at Ferrari.

"I don't want to complicate this period of time away from the business. Once I know my position in July, if there is no solution at Ferrari and I do want to get back in, I'll see what opportunities are around."

In fact, the July deadline he had set came and went. Brawn, who was and remains good friends with Jean Todt, was still in talks about his future well into August. Meanwhile, Fry continued his chase.

That Fry got his man is to his credit. It could be the most important thing he ever does for Honda.

But does it open up another opportunity for an even more sensational signing? Could Brawn be the carrot to attract Fernando Alonso to join the team?

Now, before I go any further I should say that any talk about Alonso's future is pure speculation. Sadly, I don't have a hotline to Fernando, and neither does any British journalist.

But I suspect that even though he has stated he has a good idea what he would like to do, I very much doubt he has committed to anything yet. There is no need for him to do so. The ball is very much in his court - and he can serve it whenever he likes.

One of the rumours that has circulated - and there have been many - is that Alonso has spoken to Toyota, but would only go there if they signed Brawn. Anyone can see Toyota needs someone of Brawn's quality to finally make the most of those bountiful resources, and you don't need me to tell you that Ross and Fernando could become a formidable partnership.

But now Brawn has committed to Toyota's arch rival, in the full knowledge that resources won't be in short supply there either. Could the potential of Honda tempt Alonso, even if he would be facing at least a year off from challenging for the title?

Yes, Rubens Barrichello has a contract for 2008. But he was pointless in more ways than one this year. He could be farmed out to Super Aguri and if he didn't like it, he could retire. Barrichello would certainly not be a block on an Alonso deal, and how fascinating it would be to see how Jenson Button compares to a double world champion.

Fernando Alonso and Ross Brawn on the podium at the 2006 Grand Prix of Brazil © XPB/LAT

A nice little 'what if', eh? The reality, of course, is probably that Renault remains the most obvious choice for Alonso, with Heikki Kovalainen moving across to McLaren. It makes sense for so many reasons, not least that Renault probably provides Alonso with the best hope of challenging for wins and even a title next year. Don't rule Renault out from bouncing back in '08.

But so much will rest on what happens at Renault's FIA hearing next month regarding the latest depressing and overblown spying allegations. Given that McLaren were punished so severely, surely Renault cannot avoid serious sanction either. Alonso won't want to commit to Renault until he knows for sure how hard the team has been hit.

So if Renault are given a mauling by the FIA - which sadly could well be the case - Alonso's options might look a little different.

And Honda could suddenly look very attractive indeed. You never know...