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LAST RACE - 11th May

Grand Prix of Turkey

Brawn: 2009 still Honda's top priority

Thursday 27th March 2008

Honda boss Ross Brawn insists the team will continue to focus firmly on their plans for 2009 despite their surprising start to the new Formula One season.

Winter testing offered Brawn and Honda little hope for the current campaign, however Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello have so far fared well in the opening two grands prix.

Barrichello finished in the points in Australia, only to later be disqualified for a pit-lane infringement, while both drivers saw the chequered flag in Malaysia on Sunday.

The car is undoubtedly a major improvement on last year's woeful model, and with Brawn hopeful about the performance of forthcoming planned upgrades, optimism is growing within the team.

"I need a few more races to understand where we are, but we are certainly a lot better than we were in winter testing," said Brawn.

"And looking at what's coming along, there are some quite exciting steps in the future.

"But I will caution all that by saying we will be very conscious of what we need to do for 2009. That is really a big opportunity for us."

Brawn has long stated the 2009 project is the primary target, with work already under way as Honda firmly believe they can challenge the likes of Ferrari and McLaren due to the planned rule changes.

However, if the team continue their current improvement that may alter thinking, although Brawn is confident Honda will pursue their plans for next year.

"The 2009 programme has started and it is having more and more resources put onto that programme," added Brawn.

"We haven't had any conflicts of resources at the moment, but we will in the next few months for sure.

"I think when we see the conflict of resource then we will have to make a decision in which way we call it.

"Generally it will come in favour of the 2009 programme because that is our future and there are limitations with what we can do with this car."

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