NOVEMBER 17, 2005

Honda's secret F1 driver

BAR-Honda boss Nick Fry has revealed that the team has had a secret test driver in Japan in recent seasons. He is Takeo Fukui, the president of the Honda Motor Company, who likes to go for a spin from time to time in one of the company's F1 cars, To see how the car handles. Fry said that Fukui is quick.

Fukui was a key player in Honda's motorsports programmes dating back to 1978 when he laid the foundations for success in the 500cc World Championship which led to World Championships with Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1998 Fukui was named President of Honda R&D Co and the following year was put in charge of all motorsports activities, including Formula 1. It was under his management that Honda began to embark on a new adventure in Formula 1 with BAR.

He has been the president of Honda since June 2003.