MARCH 30, 1998
When is a Honda not a Honda
THE CART race at Motegi came and went without any announcement about Honda's Formula 1 plans but our sources continue to insist that British American racing will have the Japanese V10 engines, despite the fact that Honda has announced that it is planning to build its own chassis in addition to engines.
We now hear that while the engines will be Honda designed and built, they may be rebadged with another name. Logic dictates that this would be a Honda offshoot and given stories that Alex Zanardi has been signed to drive for the team, it would be logical to suggest that the engines will be called Acura V10s. Acura is Honda's luxury car brand in the UnitedÊStates, marketing the Legend and Integra models.
At the same time there have been a number of smokescreen rumors in the F1 paddock linking BAR with Ford and with Mecachrome. Our sources say that neither is planning to supply BAR with engines and that BAR is already working the design of a car with which to begin testing in the midsummer. This car will be based on the current Tyrrell chassis.