By Phil Huff
January 17 2006

Gil de Ferran, Honda Racing F1's Sporting Director, is certain that teaming Rubens Barrichello with Jenson Button will help the Brackley outfit move up the grid.

Speaking on the main stage at the Autosport show in Birmingham, de Ferran enthused about new Brazilian signing Rubens Barrichello, commenting that "Rubens will bring a lot to the team. We not only consider him to be a very fast driver, and that's really the reason we signed him, but he is a very experienced driver who knows a lot about the sport and cars, so he should help us on many counts."

While nobody knows for certain which of the two drivers will be fastest, Honda Racing F1 are quite happy to have them both fighting each other. "I think that having a very competitive pair fighting for the top positions is a problem many teams would like to have," commented Gil. "A lot's been said about trying to deal with competitive drivers and so forth, but it is like paying tax - you only pay tax if you make money, and making money is a good thing!"

Despite handing Rubens the number 11 for his car, leaving Jenson with number 12, there's no favoured driver within the team. "There will be no clear number one and number two drivers," assured de Ferran. "We will support both drivers with equipment and personnel to the same extent and to the best of our ability."

Training his sights firmly on Barrichello's old team, de Ferran added "There will be none of this 'you will win the race and you will not.' It will be every man for himself and the only order will be for them not to take each other off.

"Healthy competition between the two will help us move forwards," he continued. "That problem [of driver tensions] will only arrive if we are competitive and up at the front, fighting for wins and podiums.

"That is a problem I would love to have."