Honda signs a 16 year old karter

I wondered how long this would take.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/4/7631.html

F1 makes me laugh sometimes because they have no quarms about copying what other teams are up to - usually around the technical developments of competitors cars but also around anything else that they think might give them a tiny advantage.

Back in 97 Tyrrell developed the X-wing which were these truly awful wings which sat astride the sidepods to give the car a little more downforce. They seemed to work and we saw a spate of copycat developments (including Ferrari) until it was thankfully banned (on terms of safety but actually on terms of looking dreadful!).

Of course, we have the annual battle of the motorhomes each year. Each team has their own motorhome and each year they get bigger and bigger in an attempt to outdo each other. I don't know what the current state is but I believe Red Bull has the current largest home that requires a convoy of transporters to bring it ot each European race. The first European race of the season is in just under a fortnight so we'll see what the latest developments are in that particular race.

Anyway, I digress. Back in the late 90s McLaren signed up a promising young karter called Lewis Hamilton and provided guidance, some cash and opened some doors for him in the sport. Hamilton grew up with support from a leading F1 team and arrived in F1 the most well-prepared rookie in the history of the sport.

Honda have watched with interest and have obviously been looking for a candidate that they can do the same with - looks like they've found one. Now, far be it for me to read into what Honda are doing but I suspect they wouldn't have looked twice at this guy if it wasn't for what Hamilton did last year.

I suspect we'll see a few more teams signing up teenagers before the season is out!

Is Massa already out of the championship?

It looks hard for him doesn't it? 14 points behind Hamilton and 11 behind his team mate. Of course, it's far too early to be writing him off but I'm not convinced that he's good enough to claw back that gap - especially when you're up against guys like Hamilton and Raikkonen, both of whom know how to get the points even when things are up against them.

Massa on the other hand still makes silly mistakes (2 unprompted spins in 2 races this year) and isn't known to be able to deliver when the chips are down.

In some ways he's a little like Ralf Schumacher - when things are right then he's fantastic but if something goes wrong then his chin drops and he can be woeful.

But I don't support it's all over yet - he won from pole last year and if he can do the same again this year then that'll help him.

However, I think it's a long shot. For me, the championship this year is between Hamilton and Raikkonen with Kovalainen pushing them all them way.