Honda admits buy-out option

Believing that a greater input into BAR is the only way to help its world championship ambitions, Honda gave the green light to purchasing a minority shareholding in the Brackley-based outfit from team owners British American Tobacco.

And although BAT has indicated that it is fully committed to the team's short-term future, despite an imminent pan-European Union ban on tobacco advertising from July this year, there remains uncertainty that the tobacco company will be able to justify its financial investment without being allowed to advertise its product.

And that means that if BAT decides to either find a replacement title sponsor or even sell-up its shareholding in the company when a worldwide ban on tobacco advertising comes into place at the end of 2006, Honda has admitted that it would be willing to step into the breach.

Honda Racing Development's president Shoichi Tanaka has admitted that the company does consider a full buy-in of BAR as a distinct possibility.

"If it is necessary to win the championship, and necessary that we will get the rest of the shares, we will do it," he said.

With BAR planning to run with tobacco branding beyond the July 31 cut off date, despite doubts about whether teams will be breaching law if television images of cigarette sponsors are broadcast back in Britain, team boss Nick Fry has indicated that BAT intends to remain a partner of the team.

"BAT is fully behind us," he said. "They will still own the team even if they cannot advertise. They are still fully committed and behind the team beyond 2006."

But he did admit that with BAT unable to advertise beyond 2006, the outfit would need to find a replacement title sponsor - and failure to do that could prompt a Honda buy-out.

"We hope that there will be another major sponsor by the end of 2006," he said. "If not, Honda will step into British American Tobacco's shoes."