Honda drivers pray for rain

TOKYO: Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button are praying for rain this week, believing it will boost Honda's chance of scoring precious points at the Japan Grand Prix to brighten up a disappointing season.

"I hope the track will be a little bit wet so we can get some more points with the cars," Barrichello said in Tokyo ahead of Sunday's race at Fuji Speedway.

The 36-year-old finished third at the British Grand Prix in July for his first podium in three years. In persistent rain, he changed to extreme wet tyres after the halfway point and lapped faster than anyone else.

"What determined the position at the end was the fact that we chose tires at the right time," he said.

"To be honest with you, the rain gives us a little bit of a better chance," added the experienced Brazilian, who has been racing Formula One for 15 years with nine wins.

"But I hope it won't be raining as much as last year at Fuji at the weekend."

Last year at the Toyota-owned Fuji circuit, Briton Lewis Hamilton won in fog and rain which sent rivers running across the track. Barrichello finished 10th and his Honda teammate Button was 11th.

"I think we're very good with choosing a correct strategy and a right tire choice as a team," said 28-year-old Button, whose best finish this season was sixth in Spain.

"I think if it's wet we do have more possibilities to score points," added the Englishman.

Honda have failed to make the points in the last six races.

Barrichello is 14th in the drivers standings with 11 points and Button is 18th with just three points with three races left, leaving Honda languishing next to last ahead of Force India on the 10-team constructors table.

Forecasters have predicted cloudy weather over the weekend.

"The weather conditions are very up and down because of the mountains all around the circuit," Button said of a track in the foothills of Mount Fuji. "You don't really know the weather you're going to get until you are out on the circuit."

Honda's deputy team managing director Shuhei Nakamoto blamed their poor results this year on slow development of an aerodynamic package at the start of the season, despite the arrival of former Ferrari technical wizard Ross Brawn.

Source: China Daily/Agencies