Full Throttle

The team formerly known as Honda is scheduled to participate in all four days of the final group test in Barcelona from March 9-12.

Team principal Ross Brawn’s management-led buy-out of a marque that announced it was withdrawing from F1 in early December, is expected to be confirmed before Monday.

Prior to that the team, likely to be known as Brawn Racing, (No ego there, no really. None! - ed) will conduct a shakedown of a car that has been in production during the winter despite its uncertain future.

That is understood to be at Silverstone on Friday, just a few miles from the team’s current Brackley base, although officials have been tight-lipped regarding the car’s maiden outing.

However, a source has confirmed the team is due at the Circuit de Catalunya from Monday when for the first time in pre-season all 10 teams will be on view.

As yet it is not known whether Rubens Barrichello or Jenson Button will initially be on track, with the former poised to again take up the race seat for what will be his 17th season in F1.