Mike Conway enjoyed his winter
Formula 1 tests with Honda so much, he is hoping it may lead to increased collaboration with the Japanese squad further down the line.
The Briton impressed on his try-out in a Super Aguri-Honda at
Jerez last week, lapping tenth quickest out of the 20 drivers present on his day behind the wheel.
“It was a privilege to drive a Honda F1 car and an awesome experience,” the Honda Young Driver Programme member enthused. “The car was very well-balanced and more powerful than the
GP2 car I'm used to, and it was a real pleasure to drive. After the first test I just wanted to be back in the car again, so it was great to have another day in
Jerez last week.
“Being more familiar with the car gave me a chance to make progress and improve my lap times over the course of the session. I would like to thank Honda for these tests – it really was the perfect end to 2007 for me, and I hope there will be further opportunities with the team in the future.”
It was not the first time the 2006 British
F3 Champion had piloted a Honda F1 car, after previously taking to the track at Barcelona. Conway dovetailed his testing commitments with his maiden season of
GP2 competition this year, registering mixed results for Super Nova over the course of his debut campaign as he wound up 14th in the championship and fourth-highest rookie with Super Nova International, having scored points on six occasions and stormed to a popular podium finish on home soil at Silverstone.
However, a litany of mechanical woes and accidents conspired to blunt his charge somewhat, leaving the 24-year-old keen to improve in 2008. Having tested for Minardi Piquet Sports and ART Grand Prix amongst others over the close-season, he is carefully and earnestly reviewing his options.
“My focus now is to finalise a seat with a
GP2 team for next year,” Conway asserted, “and my goal will be to take the championship title. After my rookie season I have the experience of the tracks, although with a new car being introduced none of us have yet driven the 2008 racer.
“Testing starts at the end of February, so I hope I'll be behind the wheel of one of them ahead of the new season. In the meantime, I'm concentrating on my fitness training and preparing for the challenges that 2008 will bring.”
