NOVEMBER 17, 2004

The future of Honda in Formula 1

The future of Honda in Formula 1 is quite secure. The interesting thing is that rumours continue to circulate in Formula 1 circles that the Japanese manufacturer is going to be buying British American Racing from British American Tobacco within a matter of weeks.

The move would make enormous sense for all concerned because BAT is becoming more and more restricted on what it can do in F1 because of global tobacco bans. A switch to Honda would see the team change very little - the Lucky Strike livery is more of less what one would expect to see if there was a Japanese team in F1 and if one compares the Honda livery of the 1960s to the BAR livery of today the difference is not huge. A switch from BAT to Honda would strengthen Honda's resolve to win races and the World Championship because the company would no longer be hiding behind a customer team and would be a team in its own right, similar to Toyota, Renault and Ferrari.

We will just have to wait and see.