Honda sign Alex Wurz!

**Giuseppe F1** · 10th Jan 08, 09:17

Dis NOT see that coming - I thought Frank had offered him a similar ole at Williams for the foreseeable future?
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http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19965.html

JANUARY 10, 2008
Wurz joins Honda
The Honda Racing F1 has announced that Alex Wurz has

joined the team in the position of test and reserve Driver. The 33 year old Austrian is considered to be one of the best development drivers in Formula 1 and will share

the track testing responsibilities with the team's race drivers Jenson

Button and Rubens Barrichello. Together they will form the most

experienced driver line-up currently competing. Alex will

also attend all of the races this season as the team's Reserve Driver.

Alex will commence his testing role with the Honda Racing F1 Team on January 22 in Valencia,

**Giuseppe F1** · 10th Jan 08, 09:18

Even the more strange when they spent the winter testing 3 youngsters for their Young Driver Program (Conway, Filipi, Zuber)

**Garry Walker** · 10th Jan 08, 10:31

A steal for Honda, very clever decision. Wurz is probably the best test-driver in F1 by a good margin at the moment.

**ioan** · 10th Jan 08, 10:48

Originally Posted by Garry Walker

A steal for Honda, very clever decision. Wurz is probably the best test-driver in F1 by a good margin at the moment.

Not sure about that!

**Garry Walker** · 10th Jan 08, 10:54

Originally Posted by ioan

Not sure about that!

why not? There is no driver I would take before Wurz to be a test-driver at the moment. In overall scheme of things, I would maybe take Hill over him as a test-driver, but that is it.

**Valve Bounce** · 10th Jan 08, 11:07

Originally Posted by ioan

Not sure about that!

Me too!! I thought Ferrari has the best test driver ever right now.

**ioan** · 10th Jan 08, 11:43

Originally Posted by Valve Bounce

Me too!! I thought Ferrari has the best test driver ever right now.

**jens** · 10th Jan 08, 12:10

Honda tries to get as much experience and knowledge as possible to try to dig out of the hole, but... as long as Nakamoto keeps his job, I don't have much belief in them.

**I am evil Homer** · 10th Jan 08, 12:14

Good signing I think...while other drivers - Klein for example - may be quicker over a single lap that doesn't mean they can provide the type of feedback the team needs in order to develop the car. He has the experience of racing recently and can I think help Honda.

Plus, I can't say a bad word about a guy so damn nice as Alex.

**markabilly** · 10th Jan 08, 13:27

Originally Posted by Valve Bounce

Me too!! I thought Ferrari has the best test driver ever right now.

Err that statement appears to be true by definition spomething like a profundity

**SGWilko** · 10th Jan 08, 14:36

Originally Posted by markabilly

spomething like a profundity

You need to shake up your QC dept, or stop drinking that stuff, what is it again, poor little old me cannot remember.......?

**N. Jones** · 10th Jan 08, 15:49

I thought Wurz was retiring?

**SGWilko** · 10th Jan 08, 16:21

Originally Posted by Valve Bounce

Me too!! I thought Ferrari has the best test driver ever right now.

While there is no doubting MS utter commitment to the task, do Ferrari not already have two competent testers in MG and LB?

I know Michael never shied from his fair share of testing, but if he is THAT good, was there a need for a further 2 testers?

Just an observation to provoke discussion.

**SGWilko** · 10th Jan 08, 16:22

Originally Posted by N. Jones

I thought Wurz was retiring?

I think that is what he initially thought, but he has clearly since had a change of thought.

Now there's a thought.....

**Osella** · 10th Jan 08, 21:25

No, Wurz announced his intention to retire from F1 race driving, but not from testing.

But if you look at Williams' performances from 2006 year compared to 2007, there's fair grounds to say having Wurz as a tester may be of great benefit for a team trying to turn around after a poor season...

I believe his is also looking at doing Le Mans again this year

**Cozzie** · 10th Jan 08, 22:32

Thats a really good decision IMO. Having young guys test cars for improvement doesn't make much sense to me when a lot of them have no experience in any other F1 car how can they know how good it is (eg-Rosemeyer was the only one who did not find the Auto Union a pig because he never learnt to race anything else).

But this signing destroys my theory that Honda will sack Rubens mid season for a rookie!

**Ranger** · 10th Jan 08, 22:42

Originally Posted by Osella

But if you look at Williams' performances from 2006 year compared to 2007, there's fair grounds to say having Wurz as a tester may be of great benefit for a team trying to turn around after a poor season...

In 2007 Williams were not running out of cash (thanks to Toyota and AT&T) like in 2006, and their car was not atrociously unreliable as the 2006 car, which was on course for podiums 3 times (on pace alone) before that legendary reliability kicked in. I honestly don't think the speed of the car relative to the grid was any better in 2007, IMO it was worse (but theres several reasons for that).
This should, however, be a good call.

**ArrowsFA1** · 11th Jan 08, 07:57

Originally Posted by Osella

But if you look at Williams' performances from 2006 year compared to 2007, there's fair grounds to say having Wurz as a tester may be of great benefit for a team trying to turn around after a poor season...

Hopefully Williams wont suffer too much as a result of his departure

**Valve Bounce** · 11th Jan 08, 08:09

Originally Posted by markabilly

Err that statement appears to be true by definition spomething like a profundity

Hey Man!! you really need to lay off that stuff.

**wedge** · 11th Jan 08, 14:03

Originally Posted by Osella

But if you look at Williams' performances from 2006 year compared to 2007, there's fair grounds to say having Wurz as a tester may be of great benefit for a team trying to turn around after a poor season...

Wurz was a factor but there were other notable things. Cosworth was horribly unreliable in 2006, Nico Rosberg was inconsistant much like Massa first few years in F1 - quick one moment and then bins it in the gravel.

Toyota is a much more reliable powerplant and Nico matured immensely last year.

Originally Posted by Malllen

I honestly don't think the speed of the car relative to the grid was any better in 2007, IMO it was worse (but theres several reasons for that).

I would pretty much agree. Monaco in 2006 showed the basic chassis ie. mechanical grip was good but suffered from poor aero.

I'd be interested in your opinions on why 2006 car was better than last years.