By Phil Huff
October 7 2005

Honda Racing Development President, and BAR Honda board member, Yasuhiro Wada took part in the Friday Five press conference today, talking about Honda's purchase of BAR, the future of F1 and, of course, the mysterious 'B' team. Wada-san, what was the thinking behind taking the controlling interest in BAR?

As you know we already have a 45% holding in the team and also the tobacco situation, BAT have to leave sooner or later, and we have been discussing the situation and we thought the team's stability was very important and sooner or later we would. To me zero to 45 is a big difference, but 45 to 100 is not that much!

Also can you tell us more about this potential second team, everyone wants to know about it?

I wish I could tell more but this is an independent team already doing some racing activities and they are keen to enter Formula One. We agree with what they are aiming for and their objectives, we have finally decided to give full support, maybe not just engine supply but on top of that the technical assistance.

When do you think we will know more about that?

I think we will have to wait for the team to announce. Our part is already said, I think they are finalising all the details, so it is hopefully going to be happening soon.

Owning BAR means you are already putting a lot of money into the team, but are you not worried that it might become a big spending war with your compatriots here?

We are not expecting to spend that much. I think we will spend a reasonable amount of money to make the team stronger but nothing more than that.

It seems in a way a little bit strange that this announcement (about the new team) has been made and very little is known about it. There's been some speculation that the reason it was done so early is because there's been a bit of a backlash in Japan after Taku was not being retained. Obviously you've got to have more depth to it before something can be announced but is there any truth in that, and how much of a backlash has there been?

I wouldn't disagree with your whole story, what you said. Regarding the situation, we wanted to announce something, if anything, before Suzuka because the Japanese market is very important and there was a lot of news going around. So given the equity issue we wanted to announce whatever we could say before Suzuka. So that was the plan, but unfortunately things have not moved as well as I personally would have wished, so what we said was just a little but I think better than nothing.

How much of a backlash has there been?

Personally nothing. We as a company, Honda, have received a lot of e-mail letters. I would take those letters not as complaints but as a lot of the support we felt. We realised how much people expected Honda to do something more, something exciting, so that's why we are here.

Regarding the Formula One future beyond 2008, what kind of an effect can you expect, having another new team coming into Formula One?

I would say not much. If you remember what five manufacturers announced in a statement earlier this year. In that document we have already clearly stated that we will promote and support independent teams through supplying engines and technical assistance, so what we are going to do is just realise that goal. So it’s nothing different from what we said.

But having another team, supported by Honda, means you have another vote for discussion?

Well, again, as I said before, this is an independent team and we will have a contract and we will supply technical assistance but all the decisions will be made by the team and not us.