The 2008 Honda RA108 was a Formula One racing car constructed by Honda for the 2008 Formula One season. It was driven by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, and was the team’s first car since their return to the sport after a three-year hiatus. Honda had originally announced they would be racing in Formula One in 2006, but due to financial difficulties, they were forced to delay their return until 2008. The RA108 was powered by a Honda RA807E V8 engine, and featured a new livery to match Honda’s corporate colours. The car was designed by Honda’s technical director, Shuhei Nakamoto, and was praised for its aerodynamic design.
Design and Development
The design of the RA108 was based on the previous year’s RA107, which had been designed by Honda’s former technical director, Geoff Willis. The car featured some slight changes to the aerodynamics, including a new nosecone and sidepods. The suspension was also updated to comply with the new regulations, and the car was fitted with a new Honda RA807E V8 engine.
Testing
The RA108 was tested extensively during the pre-season tests, and the team experienced mixed fortunes. They were able to set competitive lap times, but reliability issues hampered their progress. The car encountered several mechanical issues, particularly with the engine and transmission, and the team were forced to make several modifications in order to improve reliability.
Competition
The RA108 made its debut in the 2008 Australian Grand Prix, where it qualified in 11th and 12th positions. Jenson Button was able to finish the race in 5th place, while Rubens Barrichello finished in 6th. The team were able to score a further four points in the following race in Malaysia, with Button finishing in 4th place. The RA108 was generally competitive throughout the season, and the team were able to score a total of 15 points.
Upgrades
The team made several upgrades to the car throughout the season, including a new aerodynamic package for the Spanish Grand Prix, and a new engine for the Canadian Grand Prix. The team continued to struggle with reliability issues, and were forced to make further modifications in order to improve reliability.
Results
The RA108’s best result of the season came in the Belgian Grand Prix, where Button finished in 4th place. The team were able to score a further seven points in the final two races of the season, but were unable to score a podium finish.
Season Summary
The RA108 was generally competitive throughout the season, and the team were able to score a total of 15 points. The car was praised for its aerodynamic design, and the team were able to set competitive lap times, but reliability issues hampered their progress. The team were unable to score a podium finish, but managed to finish 8th in the Constructors’ Championship.
Legacy
The RA108 was the first car to be raced by Honda since their return to Formula One in 2008. The car was praised for its aerodynamic design and was generally competitive, but reliability issues hampered their progress. The RA108 was replaced by the RA109 in 2009, and Honda withdrew from the sport once again at the end of the season.
Gallery of ‘2008 Honda RA108’
The 2008 Honda RA108 was the car driven by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello for the 2008 Formula One season. The car featured a new livery to match Honda’s corporate colours, and was designed by Honda’s technical director, Shuhei Nakamoto.
The RA108 made its debut in the 2008 Australian Grand Prix, where it qualified in 11th and 12th positions. The car was generally competitive throughout the season, and the team were able to score a total of 15 points.
The RA108 was tested extensively during the pre-season tests, and the team experienced mixed fortunes. The car encountered several mechanical issues, particularly with the engine and transmission, and the team were forced to make several modifications in order to improve reliability.
The team made several upgrades to the car throughout the season, including a new aerodynamic package for the Spanish Grand Prix, and a new engine for the Canadian Grand Prix.
The RA108’s best result of the season came in the Belgian Grand Prix, where Jenson Button finished in 4th place. The car was praised for its aerodynamic design, and the team were able to set competitive lap times, but reliability issues hampered their progress.
The RA108 was powered by a Honda RA807E V8 engine, and featured a new livery to match Honda’s corporate colours. The car was designed by Honda’s technical director, Shuhei Nakamoto, and was praised for its aerodynamic design.
The design of the RA108 was based on the previous year’s RA107, which had been designed by Honda’s former technical director, Geoff Willis. The car featured some slight changes to the aerodynamics, including a new nosecone and sidepods.
The team were able to score a further four points in the following race in Malaysia, with Jenson Button finishing in 4th place. The car was generally competitive throughout the season, and the team were able to score a total of 15 points.
The RA108 was replaced by the RA109 in 2009, and Honda withdrew from the sport once again at the end of the season. The car was generally competitive throughout the season, and the team were able to score a total of 15 points.
The RA108 made its debut in the 2008 Australian Grand Prix, where it qualified in 11th and 12th positions. Jenson Button was able to finish the race in 5th place, while Rubens Barrichello finished in 6th.
The suspension was also updated to comply with the new regulations, and the car was fitted with a new Honda RA807E V8 engine. The team were able to set competitive lap times, but reliability issues hampered their progress.