Honda

[Fireblade]

Originally Posted by ChrisPage

I still suspect performance was the key and the financial situation a handy excuse.

100% on the money IMHO, Chris.

Honda are a proud and honourable company and their lack of success in F1 this time round would not have sat easy with them or the board back in Japan.
Anyone who has had any dealings with Honda will tell you that they will tie all this up properly. They won't run out with a half baked mop up I feel. Not like other folding F1 outfits run by ex touring car drivers.

I had friends and business associates who were Honda dealers and in the slump of the 90s were going through some really rough times. Honda stuck with them like glue whilst other suppliers wouldn't go near them and turned the screws up. Honda took a very long term view which paid off for both parties in the end but they stayed loyal all through it. I have to admit threat they did impress me with their foresight and behaviour as I am so used to seeing companies rushing to pull the plug.

Then there was the occasion when I damaged one of their championship winning bikes that I had been entrusted with. I dreaded returning back to base with it and seriously considered a new life in Oz on the spur of the moment. My fate at the the end of a long and curvy sword was guaranteed or so I thought.
Not so, they were fine about it and carried on dishing out hospitality as I explained the incident whilst their blokes wheeled (dragged) it away for immediate repair.

The same weekend my colleague had a problem with a bike made by another Japanese company. They were not so charitable or chummy over the matter I can tell you.