Richards 'Totally Confident' BAR Will Race

BAR-Honda team principal David Richards said that he is confident his team will be able to take to the track for the opening practice session of the French Grand Prix on Friday despite having their cars seized today.

Richards arrived at Magny-Cours on Thursday to find his cars locked up by bailiffs acting on behalf of France Corbeil, who claims he is owed commission from a deal struck with former team boss Craig Pollock in 1998.

Richards, who had earlier attended an FIA World Rally Commission meeting in Paris, said: "As you are aware, a person called France Corbeil of a company called PPGI has obtained a seizure order overnight on the cars.

"This dates back to 1998 and a verbal contract he claims he made with Craig Pollock. Craig disputes this and I support Craig wholeheartedly in this situation.

"We never knew about this until five years afterwards when he came to speak to us three months ago about this situation. He served the order on us tonight after the court had closed knowing that we are in court tomorrow morning at nine o'clock to have it overturned.

"I'm totally confident that at nine o'clock tomorrow morning our legal team will be in court and have this matter resolved in time to go qualifying or first practice at 11 o'clock."

All three machines have passed the organisers' scrutineering procedures and the sport's governing body, the FIA, will allow them to compete in Friday's practice and qualifying if BAR are successful in their court appearance on Friday.