Fry: new team plans will not weaken BAR

"It is Honda's number one priority to achieve race wins and championship success with our team," BAR boss Nick Fry wrote in an internal memo, the details of which were confirmed by the team on Thursday.

"That is why Honda chose to buy BAR."

Former Formula One driver Aguri Suzuki announced on Tuesday that his Super Aguri team had applied to join the 2006 Championship but would have to wait until next month to hear whether they had been accepted.

Honda, who have bought BAR from founders British American Tobacco and are expected to rename it before next season, have agreed to provide the new Japanese team with engines and technical support.

Fry said it was in Formula One's interests to increase the number of teams.

"Notwithstanding this commitment to supply another team and the announcement in Tokyo, our first priority is this team," added the Briton.

"We will not allow any significant diversion of energy into a potential second team or any project other than winning."

BAR finished runners-up to Ferrari in 2004 but struggled this year and ended up sixth. They have still to win a race.

Fry recognised last Monday that the new team were a "huge undertaking".

"It requires the hiring of a lot of people, detailed logistics and the purchase of a large amount of equipment - some of which has long lead times," he said.

"What we are doing with the new team at the moment is working through exactly what needs to be done between now and the beginning of next season."

Fry said his own team's expectations for 2006 were "to win races - plural" with the new V8 engined car due to be launched in January. Briton Jenson Button and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello will be the race drivers.