Christian Klien gets to know Honda Racing F1

By Honda Racing F1
November 21 2006

The Honda Racing F1 Team's newly signed Test and Reserve Driver Christian Klien has spent the past few days at the team's factory in Brackley getting used to his new environment.

Christian came over to the UK from his home in Switzerland last Thursday for his first days with the team. As well as having a tour of the Brackley facilities, including the new full-scale Wind Tunnel, Christian spent time meeting the team and getting to know his engineers for the forthcoming winter testing programme. Christian also had his all-important seat fitting in the RA106 car.

On Monday, Christian returned to the factory to join Jenson Button in greeting the President and CEO of Honda Motor Company Ltd., Mr Takeo Fukui, at the Brackley factory. Christian and Jenson accompanied Mr Fukui on a tour of the Honda Racing F1 Team’s two Wind Tunnel facilities and spent some time discussing the imminent start of winter testing as well as the development of the new RA107 car.



Mr Fukui was in the UK to take part in the New Honda Circle Convention event which took place at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London on Monday evening. Over 800 Honda associates from around the globe joined the Honda board members to attend the evening event which featured a parade of Honda motor sport heroes including Jenson Button, Nicky Hayden and John Surtees.

Christian will now be looking forward to his first run in the RA106 when winter testing starts in the next couple of weeks. To ensure that he is fully prepared physically for the intensive testing programme, Christian will be spending this week training in the Austrian Alps doing some hiking in the mountains and working in the gym.

Commenting on his first few days with the Honda Racing F1 Team, Christian said, "I have very much enjoyed my first days working with the Honda team over the last week. It was really interesting to visit the factory and learn how the developments for next year are coming along. It was also a great pleasure to meet Mr Fukui so early in my time with Honda. It’s been a lot of fun so far but now I'm looking forward to actually getting on with testing and driving the car."