AUGUST 10, 2002

Honda to strengthen IRL attack

Honda continues to underline its desire to win in both Formula 1 and in the United States of America where the Japanese company will be switching to the Indy Racing League next year. With most of the major IRL teams already contracted to Chevrolet or Toyota, Honda needs to find some top operations to use the new 3.5-liter normally-aspirated V8s, which are being built for Honda by Ilmor Engineering Inc. The deal is being overseen by Honda Performance Development Inc. and had no links with the main Honda motor racing divisions in Japan.

Toyota has already announced the signing of Penske Racing and Kelley Racing and it is virtually certain that Chip Ganassi Racing will also be running two Toyota-engined cars in IRL although the team's sponsor Target appears to want to stay in CART.

Honda is expected to have the Andretti-owned Team Green with two cars in IRL, probably with backing from Kool and there is talk in the United States that Adrian Fernandez will run a car in IRL for a Honda-nominated driver, presumably a Japanese one.