| The world of Formula One is currently agog with | | | | joins a struggling racing team (in this case |
| the emergence of lesser teams winning races and | | | | NASCAR, rather than F1) with no sponsors, |
| making a mockery of the so called 'big' teams. | | | | money or hope and yet somehow wins. Seeing |
| After a solitary win in his career, Jenson Button | | | | the Brawn GP car with no sponsorship on its |
| has now won three out of four races in the 2009 | | | | livery is a constant reminder of how this team |
| season with Brawn GP and is, at the time of | | | | shouldn't even make race day and how uplifting it |
| writing, odds on favourite for the drivers' title. | | | | is that they do and win. Throughout all the |
| This is just the beginning of the fairytale. A mere | | | | superlatives for Brawn GP and in particular Jenson |
| four months ago, Honda announced it was leaving | | | | Button, no-one seems to be mentioning Honda. |
| the sport because of financial losses due to the | | | | Yes they ran off into the sunset abruptly, but |
| global recession. This meant the potential loss of | | | | that was to ensure that the general public still |
| roughly 800 jobs at F1 HQ in Brackley and more | | | | have new cars to buy, that factories around the |
| publicly Jenson's as well, before Brawn GP was | | | | world don't close and quite frankly so the |
| formed from the ashes a mere month before | | | | fantastic Civic Type R can stay in production. |
| the start of the 2009 season. | | | | Brawn GP drive the car that Honda built and I |
| The sheer amount of money Honda had pumped | | | | would imagine therefore that Honda are gutted it |
| into the sport is a clear indication that the | | | | isn't themselves on the top step of the podium. I |
| Japanese firm had every intention of giving | | | | guess we'll never know whether finances could |
| Formula One their best shot and becoming the | | | | have been re-distributed to enable Honda to run a |
| most competitive team on the grid. Unfortunately, | | | | car in a race or two in 2009 and as a result, reap |
| despite being the richest team in the paddock, | | | | the considerable financial rewards Brawn GP now |
| Honda was never competitive - its sole race win | | | | receive. Honda also very publicly stopped |
| coming in Hungary 2006 when all others crashed | | | | production of the Civic for three months at their |
| in the wet, leaving Button afloat to cross the line | | | | factory in Swindon, although thankfully all |
| to the chequered flag. I went to a motor show | | | | employees have now returned to their day jobs. |
| once and saw a little lad jumping up and down on | | | | Ironically what all this turmoil means is that there's |
| the front wing of the Honda F1 car. It was the | | | | never been a better time to buy a Honda. |
| first time that season the car hadn't broken | | | | They're not likely to go bust anytime soon, their |
| (much to the relief of his dad's wallet). Yet despite | | | | car range is very strong and crucially for you, |
| this poor track record, Honda had high hopes for | | | | their prices are dropping. 0% finance is now |
| this season. Realising that money is nothing | | | | offered on many cars in their range, most notably |
| without design, they wrote off development of | | | | the Civic, Civic Type R and CR-V. The 0% |
| the 2007 and 2008 season's car, leaving Button | | | | finance packages also include complimentary |
| picking up after everyone at the back of the grid. | | | | redundancy cover meaning that Honda will pay up |
| The mission said Honda was to win races | | | | to 12 of your monthly payments if the worst |
| frequently in 2009 and all their resources for two | | | | should happen in your job. |
| years were gobbled up. Having checked the bank | | | | The Civic Type R with the top-of-the-range GT |
| balance though, the development costs had taken | | | | spec which includes rain sensitive windscreen |
| their toll and Honda decided that spending money | | | | wipers, fog lights and a host of interior creature |
| on its production cars was far less frivolous. It's | | | | comforts can be purchased with a deposit of |
| therefore a fairytale that after the company's | | | | £6,085 with 36 monthly payments of |
| shock exit, Jenson and the team are not only | | | | £199 and a final payment of |
| employed somehow, but are making everyone | | | | £6,026.17. When you consider there was a |
| else on the grid look like amateurs. The situation is | | | | waiting list for the Type R a mere six months |
| a real life Days of Thunder, where Tom Cruise | | | | ago, it may be time to take the plunge. |