Honda Ready to Increase F1 Budget

On the back of a disastrous start to the campaign for the BAR-Honda outfit, who currently are the only team not to have finished a race in 2005, pressure is mounting on the two companies to live up to their pre-season promise of achieving that maiden Grand Prix victory this season.

And with the team having just conducted a management reshuffle to bring in Gil de Ferran as sporting director, a senior change at Honda has now opened up the possibility of more backing from the Japanese carmaker to help the situation.

Tasuhiro Wada, who will take over from Shoichi Tanaka as president of Honda Racing Development, has told this week's Autosport magazine that Honda are open to the possibility of needing to make an ever bigger effort to become successful in F1. They already own 45 percent of the team.

"It's possible that we may need to bring more resources," said Wada. "Our aim is to win the world title and if we need more resources to do that we will provide them.

"It's important to ensure that we have the right quality of resource. It's not just about quantity. That is Honda's philosophy. Whatever the answer we will bring strong counter-measures to deal with our current problems."

BAR are currently evaluating the latest aerodynamic modifications to their 007 at Paul Ricard in France after an encouraging test at Barcelona in Spain last week.

A new front and rear wing, plus modified diffuser, helped Jenson Button break the lap record at the home of the Spanish Grand Prix last week.