Suzuki to unveil new team plans

Suzuki has been linked with the project ever since Honda first announced it prior to the Japanese Grand Prix, and work has been progressing behind the scenes to get the outfit on the grid for 2006.

But although sources claim the funding is in place for the operation - and the team have agreed a deal to operate out of the former TWR headquarters in Leafield - there are growing doubts that the team will be able to get on the grid next year, and if that remains their intention.

They have to lodge their entry to the 2006 Formula One World Championship by November 15 - and should the plans fall through after that date then they would forfeit $12 million of the $48 million deposit that needs to be lodged with the FIA.

The main problem the team faces on being able to make it onto the grid in 2006 is that they will have to manufacture the car they plan to run.

It is believed the original intention was for the operation to run customer versions of the BAR008, with support from the BAR team, but that cannot happen because of limitations in the Concorde Agreement.

A meeting of the Formula One Commission confirmed last week that there remain strict stipulation on what a constructor must do in F1.

FIA president Max Mosley told autosport.com: "You must have the intellectual property rights to your car, and the parts must not be designed or manufactured by another constructor. They can be (made) by a third party like Lola, but not a constructor. You cannot just buy a car."

BAR boss Nick Fry said today that his team were still working through the plans with the Suzuki operation on what needed to be done for next year - and admitted it was not going to be an easy task for the outfit to make it onto the grid in 2006.

"Starting a new Formula One team is a huge undertaking," he said. "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.

"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. It's all still at the detailed planning stage and any announcements will come from the new team rather than us. We are the supporting act here, rather than the leaders."

The Suzuki team are believed to be keen to use the expertise from Japanese racing car constructor Dome to help with the build of the car, but it will be a tall order for the team to be created from scratch and build a car in the short time frame left before next year. It would be more logical for Dome to assist in plans for 2007.

F1 testing is due to resume in November and the team would likely need to get a car onto the track this year if it was going to be ready for an entry in 2006.