Well for once the talk of F1 is a car, and a car from a marque that did not exist two weeks ago! On Thursday 5th March it was announced that Ross Brawn had taken over Honda F1. The Brawn-Mercedes BGP 001 had a shakedown at Silverstone the next day before being shipped to Barcelona for the final group test. It was immediately on the pace, ending up fourth on Monday and third on Tuesday, before going quickest on Wednesday and Thursday! If this wasn't amazing enough it wasn't just a bit quicker, but by a second!

Brawn's achievement has quickened the hearts of us sentimental old fools - a stunningly quick car from a new team led by a proper racer. However, we do have to remember it's hardly something that's been put together by a few bright lads in a railway arch. Honda was one of the biggest teams in F1and has been dedicated to the new car for over a year. It was recognised early on that the F108 was a dog, and not having the distraction of any championship to chase, the majority of the team's (then) huge resources could be directed into the new car.

What is impressive is that having lived with constant uncertainty for 3 months, the team not only carried on, but adapted the car to take a Mercedes engine rather than the Honda as originally planned. There was a rumour of a Ferrari V8 being in it at one time, but this was swiftly knocked on the head by Stefano Domenicali. I wondered, if at $10m a season for a customer engine, rather than the $20m before, Ferrari simply didn't think it worthwhile bothering with, but reports state that it was easier to mate the British engine to the Honda gearbox.

The length and depth of this development process is shown by the fact that the BGP 001 is different to all the other cars. Uniquely, it has a low nose, the front wing is ever so clever, with virtual endplates or something. There's a sort of snow plough/cow catcher type thingy in the middle of the floor that only the Williams has got too and the diffuser is all swoopy, rather than looking like it came in a flat pack. The Brawn's side pods are slim with small entry and exit 'oles; this is because it has no KERS and therefore no need to cool same. Honda had been planning to use a flywheel device rather than the motor-generator/battery systems of all the others - again bar Williams.

The virginal livery of the car indicates that the team's long-term future is not certain, but pleasingly that Richard Branson has missed a trick! Honda and FOM telly money has effectively given them a year's grace, but after that they must make their own way. Button and Rubens have been kept on, Jenson demonstrating his commitment by taking a pay cut. The fact that the old Brazilian versus the young one has been preferred, despite the latter probably being a better prospect financially, demonstrates Brawn GP's seriousness. Ross must have a high opinion, born of long experience, of what the veteran can bring to a team.

In the UK Brawn is something tasty made from a pig's head (including the ears), let's hope it's so in this case as well. I would be delighted to see them win a race or two. If they do have any success, what an irony it would be that Honda chose to pull out just before it! Cynics might suggest that it is being run underweight in some publicity-seeking flimflam to generate sponsorship. The car has been quick again this week in Jerez and I hope it is genuine speed, but not too much!

On track at Barca it's clear that the new regulations have certainly produced different technical solutions. Controversy is raging because some teams, notably Williams and Toyota have used the rear crash structure to augment their diffusers. Flav has been whingeing about this, which suggests how times change. At one time, the Benetton team were right there at the sharp edge of the regulations - and some say beyond. What is also clear is that the regs. haven't stopped clever twiddly bits, in fact it seems to have made them cleverer, harder to spot and impossible to work out what's going on!

At the end of the week Ferrari was the best of the rest, with Bimmer and Toyota up there too, these being the teams that Alonso says have genuine pace. The bulbous Renault is off the pace as is the new McLaren. First Ron said not to worry, but then new Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh says there is a "performance shortfall". We can only hope that it it be ongoing, I'm really bored with The Grey Empire.

Once again this year as in previous years I have averaged out all the final test times for all the teams and their drivers. As a predictive tool it was a bit out last year. Happily, Ferrari and McLaren swapped places, but BMW and Toyota were the big gainers. BMW's form changed the week after the last test and Toyota... err I can't remember other than they haplessly robbed Massa of the Championship. Surprisingly Renault only gained a place, as they were quick at the end of the year it shows how bad they were at the start, also they missed a trick with the regs. and allowing their engine to fall behind.

Feeble French donkeys also hurt Red Bull, whereas their sister team had the advantage of lusty Italian prancing horses. There was also the suggestion that the smaller Toro Rosso team was quicker on its pins and, of course, had the advantage of a quick, young driver rather than a couple of Old err Gentleman. Williams started fast and faded and I can't help but think this year will be the same again. Honda was as dismal as predicted, but they were boiling up the Brawn. Force India had a Indian Winter before the others sorted their cars out and I suspect the same will happen again.

So on to this year with a new set of regulations. With McLaren and Renault seemingly off the pace and other rivals with no experience of the championship chasing, this has to be a major opportunity for Ferrari; let us hope they can capitalize on it. With Kubica onboard, I think BMW-Sauber will be the biggest threat.

Off track, the FIA/FOTA war is obviously still on, with the FIA making a whole series of decisions, the most radical being that from 2010 any team which runs to a budget volintairly capped (but rigorously audited) at £30m will enjoy greater technical freedoms! Principallty these are:

1. A more aerodynamically efficient (but standard) underbody.
2. Movable wings.
3. An engine which is not subject to a rev limit or a development freeze.
   

I'm just going to wait and see what actually happens, rather than wasting nervous energy speculating about it. The FIA tossed aside the Teams' proposal for an increased points gap from first to second place in favour of the Championship going to the driver with the most wins and the current points system being kept to decide a tie break, the rest of the places and the Constructors' Championship.

There's also a lot of stuff about drivers having to make themselves avaiailable for interview, which I think is largely a waste of time. When was the last time you heard one say anything interesting? One good rule is that the weight of the cars will be published after qualifying. I'm also very pleased that the FIA has decreed that "wet tyres" shall henceforth be known as "intermediates" and "extreme wets" as "wets"; this will make all the difference.

Finally, buried in the report of the Ferrari Stockholders' Meeting yesterday, is the news that Jean Todt, architect of Ferrari's revival from the doldrums in 1993 and subsequent huge success, has resigned from the Board and all other positions he holds in the company. This truly spells the end of "The Dream Team", apart from the sad spectacle of Schuey again looking a rather forlorn figure in the Barcelona pit lane.

All that now remains for me to say is roll on 28th March, hopefully some racing and Forza Ferrari!!