BAR-Talk.com Newsletter 022


By Phil Huff
October 5 2005

There's just three days and nine hours until the Japanese Grand Prix starts, and it's usually around this time that something comes out from either BAR or Honda that grabs your attention.

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  • Honda buys BAR

    That certainly got my attention. Anybody who read the last BAR-Talk.com newsletter knows exactly how passionate I am about BAR, and that dates back to the days of Tyrrell. As Tyrrell became BAR, now BAR will become Honda, although the move is not exactly a surprise.

    Shoichi Tanaka told me back in January, just weeks after buying 45% of the team, that Honda were prepared to spend whatever was necessary to win the world championship, and that included buying 100% of BAR.

    With the basic team remaining the same, and any doubts about Honda's commitment to winning, the time has come for BAR Honda to start winning.

  • Honda 'B' Team

    Another thing to grab my attention, and one that I don't think anybody saw coming, although all parties remain very quiet about it. Hiroshi Oshima, Honda's Corporate Communications and Motor Sports Operating Officer (now that's a job title), certainly didn't dampen enthusiasm, commenting that "nothing has been decided yet as far as drivers or engines go, but Bernie Ecclestone has given the team his blessing and we are looking into the possibility of supplying their engines."

    Dome, a Japanese sportscar manufacturer, has been linked with this second team - they developed an F1 project in the late 90's, and have a wind tunnel that's every bit as good as BAR's. The desire to race in F1 still exists, they're based in Japan, and have F1 levels of technology and experience. Surely a perfect match?

  • Takuma Sato lands F1 seat

    Despite it appearing that Sato's F1 career was over just two weeks ago, the Japanese star has now claimed that he's got an offer for 2006, but he's being equally coy about the details. "It's not confirmed that this new team will race but I have received an offer," said Taku. "I'm not planning to quit Formula One. I have to keep going and look for a solution."

  • Bonneville 400 too wet for BAR

    BAR Honda's attempt to set a new F1 speed record have skidded to a halt after rain hit the Bonneville flats, leaving the area under an inch of water. However, things hadn't been going too well anyway, with the salt providing such a poor surface that any significant speed was accompanied by a loss of traction, knocking around 12mph off the maximum speed. Deputy technical director Gary Savage described the surface as like 'wet sorbet'. Being some 4,200 feet above sea level, the salt flats also rob the Honda engine of valuable air, lowering the power available. Assuming they get that sorted, they'll then have to cope with what is an anything but flat surface - vibrations in a road car are bad enough, but a low slung F1 car at 250mph? Good luck, Alan!

    That's what's caught my eye over the last couple of weeks, and we now head into the closing stages of the 2005 season knowing exactly where we'll be in 2006, a situation we've not had for some time.

    The name may change, the drivers may change, the results may (hopefully) change, but one thing remains constant.

    The passion.

    Phil Huff
    BAR-Talk.com

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