HONDA ANNOUNCES 2008 YOUNG DRIVER LINE-UP

BRACKLEY, UK
29 JANUARY 2008, 11.30 GMT


HONDA ANNOUNCES 2008 YOUNG DRIVER LINE-UP 

At the launch of the Honda Racing F1 Team's 2008 racecar today, the team
announced that Mike Conway and Luca Filippi will form its Young Driver
line-up for the coming season.

As part of the team's commitment to the development of young motorsport
talent, the two GP2 drivers were invited to take part in a Young Driver
Programme evaluation in November and December last year. Each driver had
the opportunity to drive the 2007 Honda race car as the team took a
closer look at their potential to assist with future testing
requirements.

Under the new sporting regulations for 2008, the team has a number of
Young Driver evaluation days which will be used to allow Luca and Mike
to develop their skills in the car and assist the team with its testing
requirements, in conjunction with their racing activities in the GP2
series.

Luca Filippi, 22, is currently racing with Meritus in the GP2 Asia
series and in 2008 will be competing with ART Grand Prix for his third
year in GP2. Luca finished in 4th position in the 2007 GP2 championship
with Super Nova International. He began his racing career in his home
country of Italy, winning the Italian Formula 3000 championship in 2005
before graduating to GP2. 

Mike Conway, 24, was Luca's team-mate at Super Nova International last
year, and has been part of the Honda Young Driver Programme since March
2007. After his debut season in GP2 last year, Mike will race for
Trident Racing this year. Prior to GP2, Mike won the British Formula 3
championship and the Macau Grand Prix in the 2006 season, in addition to
winning the Formula Renault UK title in 2004. Mike was also given the
opportunity to be evaluated in the all-new RA108 during its initial
shakedown in Valencia last week.

To reflect Honda's increasing involvement in motor sport and its
commitment to supporting emerging motorsport talent, the Honda Racing F1
Team also confirmed that it will reward the winner of the 2008 Formula
Master series with a drive in its RA108 race car in the future. A junior
racing formulae, Formula Master runs alongside the FIA World Touring Car
Championship for eight European based rounds. 

Ron Meadows, Sporting Director for the Honda Racing F1 Team with
responsibility for Honda's Young Driver Programme, commented, "We are
very pleased to confirm today that Mike and Luca form our Young Driver
line-up in 2008. Both drivers greatly impressed us with their
performance and commitment in the tests at the end of last year and,
after a thorough evaluation, we have decided to reward them with the
opportunity to work closely with the team this season. In addition, we
have today announced our new partnership with the Formula Master series
and the opportunity for their champion to spend a day with the team.
Honda takes its commitment to developing promising young talent in motor
sport very seriously and we look forward to working closely with these
young drivers and helping them to progress to the very highest levels of
our sport."

Mike Conway commented, "I am really pleased to be continuing my
association with the Honda Racing F1 Team and very much looking forward
to this year. I have already learnt so much from working with the team
and it will be very rewarding to be able to contribute to the
development of the car this year. I drove the RA108 in Valencia last
Friday which was fantastic so I'm looking forward to the next
opportunity."

Luca Filippi said, "It is a great opportunity for me to be a part of the
Honda Young Driver Programme and I am really looking forward to working
with the team this year. I am hoping to learn a great deal from the
team's engineers and drivers, which will help not only in driving the F1
car but also for my racing in the GP2 series. I would like to thank the
Honda Racing F1 Team for their faith in me and I'm looking forward to my
chance to drive the RA108."


ENDS


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