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Bye bye Bar - 100% Honda

manlio27
in ForzaMinardi.com Forum
Honda acquired the remaining 55% of Bar and is now 100% owner.
From 2006 the team will be named Honda.

With the disappearing at the same time of the names Jordan, Sauber, Bar and (hopefully not!) Minardi, and the direct participation of manufacturers like Honda and BMW, an era of F1 ends.

[Edited on 4/10/2005 by manlio27]

Comments

  • speedmaster
    BMW will have own team is't true?? :rolleyes:
  • MCSF
    tak
  • Minardus
    It makes the GPMA (or whatever they call themselves now) seem like a serious bunch now !!!
  • TheDriver
    Makes sense for BAT to sell, given the new strict laws against tobacco advertising.

    However, does it make sense for Honda to buy? BAR isn't a race-winning outfit at the moment, nor is there any clear reason suggesting they'll become one in the near future. Granted, things change quickly in F1, but it's a mid-class at the moment.

    The more serious problem arises from Toyota's ongoing participation in F1. They want to win and are willing to spend whatever it takes to do so. Is it wise from Honda to go head-to-head against Toyota in an environment where success eventually is down to financial muscle? The overwhelming majority of outcomes are bad:

    - If Toyota regularly beats Honda, it's bad PR - even if both teams could establish themselves among the top outfits in F1.

    - If Honda beats Toyota, no-one will care if they keep running in the middle of the pack. Being 7th, ahead of your rival in 9th, is nothing to write home about.

    - Honda will only gain positive PR if they win the WCC or become a regular winner and Toyota does not succeed. How likely is that?

    If you choose to spend tens of millions of dollars every year, you'd probably want to be guaranteed some good PR. This solution fails to do so; rather, it opens up multiple potential situations where Honda could look incredibly stupid.

    I mean, come on - has the recent participation of Honda in F1 'lifted your perception of the brand'? Honestly? All I remember are engines that constantly blow up and fail to be among the top in terms of HP output. Rather amusingly, their consumer car gasoline engines have always been among the best in the world IMO - making their F1 effort look even more crazy.
  • max_torq
    I guess that the teams are manouvering for the big split. When it occurs in either or both series the teams are going to have to run four cars each to make the grids look realistic. Will McLaren, Renault and Toyota develop junior teams, we'll soon see.
  • bernie
    max,

    now that is interesting! How will they address the blue flags I wonder
  • TasM
    Prestige, that's the idea that F1 brings to the brand. Honda have successfully branded themselves as a race-bred brand of car and bike for that matter. Honda is all the better for it. It won't hurt them too much if Toyota beats them, at least the two are racing each other, that's the main thing - competing at the highest level. Honda just have to stay competitive, winning will be the bonus.
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