Honda announces pull-out after '02

The engine manufacturer, which currently heads the drivers' standings with Penske's Gil de Ferran, is angry at sanctioning body CART's decision to bring in a 3.5-litre normally-aspirated formula at the start of the 2003 season and also says it has lost confidence in CART's ability to run the series to a professional level.

CART's current engine formula for 2.6-litre turbocharged engines was due to run until the end of the 2003 season. Honda Performance Development president Tom Elliott said his company would have preferred a turbocharged replacement formula, but added that this was not fundamental to the decision.

"It's a hard decision to make," he said, "but maybe it's time now to move on and do something different. It's a hard decision to make.

"It's not a question of engine direction - it was all down to the timing. We made it based on two things: firstly, the lack of engine rule stability, which is critical, and secondly, we lost our trust in CART. Trust takes a long time to develop, but it can be lost very quickly."

CART announced an outline of its 2003 engine rules last week - just days after Toyota announced it would be building a normally-aspirated engine for the rival Indy Racing League.

Elliott added that an about face by CART on the timescale of the new engine formula would not alter its decision. He also stressed that the company had not targetted an alternative racing programme, although it was keen to stay in competition.

Honda had previously lobbied for a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine to be introduced for 2004, with a 10-year stability period on the rules.