TEAM REPORTS (SHANGHAI) - HRF1 PRE-RACE NOTES

After a challenging Japanese Grand Prix at the rain-soaked Fuji Speedway on Sunday, the Honda Racing F1 Team's attentions now move to the penultimate race of the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship with the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend.

SHUHEI NAKAMOTO - Senior Technical Director "After such a strong qualifying performance at Fuji on Saturday, we were extremely disappointed that we were unable to convert this into a points-scoring position in the race. We move to China now and hope for better things at the Shanghai International Circuit. This is a very technical track which places great emphasis on driver skill and car stability. Our drivers are looking forward to the challenge. We have some new developments from our recent test in Jerez and hope that we will be able to end the season on a stronger note and with a point or two."

JENSON BUTTON "The Shanghai circuit is a demanding one for the drivers and quite technical but it is also fun to drive. The length of the corners, particularly turn one which is tough on the neck, is quite something and you have to remember to breathe as you go round the lap. In turns seven/eight/nine the g-forces are so high that you are unable to breathe. There are a few good overtaking opportunities, particularly going into turn one and then at the banked entry onto the back straight which is very unique to this circuit and presents the ability to take a number of lines onto the straight itself."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO "Shanghai is a fantastic race venue with impressive facilities and an exciting modern track layout. I won the very first Grand Prix here in 2004 so it holds some good memories for me. The combination of long straights and low/medium speed corners makes for a challenging technical layout with the main feature being the length of some of the corners. The complex including turn one is fairly tricky with a combination of hard braking and lateral acceleration."

SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT

No of Laps 56 laps Circuit Length 5.400 km Race Distance 305.066 km

The Chinese Grand Prix made its debut on the Formula One calendar in 2004 to universal acclaim of the hugely impressive facilities. Designed by Hermann Tilke, the Shanghai International Circuit is built on three square kilometres of reclaimed marshland, and can seat up to 200,000 people.

The 5.400 km track is shaped like the Chinese character 'shang' which stands for 'high' or 'above'. It comprises seven left and seven right turns with several overtaking opportunities, in particular at the multi-apex turn one and at the end of the back straight. Average speeds are approximately 200 kph, with the cars reaching their maximum speeds down the back straight which stretches for over a kilometre in length between turns thirteen and fourteen.

HONDA IN CHINA

* Honda has over 20 locations in China with automotive, motorcycle and power product plants, plus sales and R&D sites * Honda produces the Accord, Odyssey, Fit (Jazz), CR-V and Civic in China * Sales of the new CR-V, introduced in April 2007 and produced by Dongfeng Honda, have been strong * Dongfeng Honda will shortly begin the import and sale of the Civic Hybrid * Honda's total automobile production capacity in China is 530,000 units per year