BAR [originally British American Racing] formed from the ashes of the much-loved Tyrrell team at the end of the 1998 season, endured a tumultuous period as a team in its own right, before being acquired by engine supplier Honda at the end of 2005. The Japanese marque thus joined the ranks of manufacturer entrants in the top flight, ready to take the fight to road car rivals such as Renault, Ferrari and BMW.
The fact that a new team appeared with quite the funding of BAT left many F1 insiders and fans waiting with bated breath to see if the team could pull off a shock in its first season, while the fact that Tyrrell - a significant slice of F1 history along with Brabham and Lotus - was lost angered many purists.
Already in its very short history, BAR has managed to make its mark on the sport.
The team was cited for cherry-picking the best available talent from along the pit-lane - and not just in terms of drivers - to form its personnel for 1999, while also caused a stir at the FIA over its controversial attempt to run different liveries on its cars - in contravention of new regulations.
This second issue saw the team unveil cars in the colours of tobacco brands 555 and Lucky Strike in a much publicised launch at its state of the art factory in Brackley, before going on to parade the cars publicly at the Autosport International exhibition in Birmingham. The FIA subsequently won an arbitration hearing over the matter and BAR ran similar colour schemes from its first race in Australia.
The driver line-up for the team's initial season also caused a stir, with 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve joining former manager Craig Pollock for what was a risky campaign. The Canadian was partnered by rookie Brazilian Ricardo Zonta, in Reynard chassis powered by the ageing Supertec (nee Mecachrome/Playlife) engines, and his worst nightmares came close to fruition as the much-hyped project failed to finish races let alone score points.
Although he considered jumping ship, Villeneuve stayed put, and continued alongside Zonta for a second season. The 002 chassis was powered by Honda instead of Supertec, with BAR having pulled off a major coup in attracting the Japanese giant back to F1. Despite being off the ultimate pace in testing, the new car showed commendable reliability, and boded well for a more successful 2000.
In many ways, Villeneuve was the star of 2000, regularly challenging for the podium and elevating the team to joint fourth in the constructors standings. The Canadian scored four fourth positions but a podium finish eluded both he and Zonta, who was lucky to survive a monstorous testing crash at Silverstone in which his car somersaulted over the barriers at the end of the Hanger straight.
For 2001, Zonta moved on to test drive for Jordan and Olivier Panis returned to the fold, seemingly revitalised after a year testing for McLaren.
The 003 looked impressive in testing, with Panis regularly matching the pace of Villeneuve, who was then critical of the car's straight-line speed, but again failed to deliver in races.
Admittedly, Villeneuve did notch up the team's first podium finishes - in Spain and Germany - but the car was too often too slow to mix it with the 'big boys', leaving the team out of the points unless the frontrunners retired. Villeneuve generally had the upper hand, although Panis managed to outqualify him five times, and scored twelve of the team's sixth-place, 17-point haul. The total was disappointing, however, given the top four overall placing achieved the year before.
For 2002, the driving team remained intact, but only just, following the departure of founder, CEO and team principal Craig Pollock.
Villeneuve did not hear of his mentor's decision to 'quit' until the night before the team's launch, and only hastily arranged talks with replacement David Richards - of Prodrive fame - persuaded him to stay on board.
The 004 though was far from a great car and new technical director, Geoff Willis described many aspects of it as "frankly awful". The 2002 campaign was thus a difficult year, and it was no surprise that in March, engineering director Malcolm Oastler and chief designer, Andy Green were both axed.
It took the team until the British Grand Prix - over halfway into the season - to score points, then Villeneuve came home fourth and Panis fifth. BAR would net only two more points finishes following the belated result at Silverstone - two sixth places, one coming at the Italian GP and the other at Indianapolis.
BAR thus ended the year only eighth in the constructors with a total of seven points. New team boss, David Richards also tried to off load JV, however when nothing came of it, Panis jumped ship to Toyota, as Richards was keen to sign Jenson Button, a deal that was announced in July.
For 2003 BAR enjoyed sole Honda backing, the Japanese manufacturer having severed their links with Jordan, despite the fact the Silverstone based team scored more points during the 2002 campaign.
Takuma Sato also returned, as test and reserve driver alongside Anthony Davidson and the team launched a 'new identity', the name having been simplified from British American Racing to B.A.R.
The 005 performed reasonably well during the season, the team eventually finishing on a high at the Japanese GP by finishing fourth and sixth, and as such securing fifth place in the constructors' championship.
The year though wasn't all 'easy sailing', with the early season 'war of words' between Villeneuve and Button not particularly helpful, JV also left the team prior to the Japanese GP, after it was announced they would not be requiring his services in 2004. As such, his replacement, Sato, stood in, grabbing three points at his home race. All in all, the team would notch up 26 points - the others courtesy mainly of Button [17], while JV managed only 6.
The following year [2004] marked the first without Villeneuve. Button took over as team leader partnered by third driver, Sato, who had been promoted to race driver, while Davidson, was the third/reserve driver, running during the Friday practice sessions.
In winter testing, the 006 showed well, setting fast lap time and lap records.
This proved no flash in the pan, and BAR had a storming year, scoring points in all but one of the 18 races, and eventually finishing best of the rest in the constructors' championship with 119 points, second only to Ferrari. Podiums also became the norm, with the team coming home second or third on eleven occasions - ten thanks to Button, with the only thing eluding them a first race win.
With Button proving a valuable asset, however, team boss David Richards was made to fight to keep him for 2005, after Jenson signed a deal with Williams. The Contract Recognition Board [CRB] eventually decided in BAR's favour and, although this matter was something the team could have done without, the fact that it didn't really affect their performance was impressive to say the least. Button, too, showed previously hidden depths by no sulking his way through the following season, and giving his all for the BAR cause.
In November 2004, engine partner Honda acquired a 45 per cent stake in the team from BAT and, as a consequence, Richards found himself ousted in much the same way as Pollock had two years earlier.
Richards' right-hand man Nick Fry was left to take over as team boss, but found that he faced a much tougher task than many envisaged, as the new 007 proved to be less competitive than expected.
Aero problems were at the root of the car's malaise and, despite having Michelin tyres, the team was unable to take the fight to Renault and McLaren. Indeed, having been disqualified from a double points finish - and a Button podium - for weight irregularities at Imola - and handed a subsequent two-race ban - it wasn't until the French Grand Prix in July that the team finally opened its account.
From there, Button mounted an almost single-handed push up the points table - team-mate Sato not scoring more than a single point in the Hungarian GP - to put BAR sixth in the constructors' championship and himself ninth in the drivers' chart.
Again, the end of season period was marred by a tug-of-love over the Briton between BAR and Williams, although this time Button wanted to remain at Brackley. He eventually bought himself out of his Williams contract, and landed Rubens Barrichello as his new team-mate for 2006.
In the same period, Honda completed its takeover of the team, rebranding it as Honda Racing F1 and ending the BAR era for good. The manufacturer age in F1 was now in full swing, and the Japanese giant was hoping to make the most of its top-notch line-up to open an account that remained winless.
Testing pace again flattered to deceive, however, and early season showings did not bode well for the Brackley concern, despite Button claiming fourth and third at the opening rounds, and pole in Australia. Barrichello struggled to get to grips with his new mount, and Honda looked set for another season of watching others take the spoils as the RA106's aerodynamics continued to be a weak link.
The departure of technical director Geoff Willis did not help matters - as was the case with aero ace Willem Toet's pre-season exit for BMW - and Button's form veered wildly, the Briton taking points at Imola and Barcelona, but failing to make it through the opening section of qualifying elsewhere, including on home soil at Silverstone.
However, by the start of the second half of the year, things began to look up, and both Button and Barrichello became more of a factor. From Germany onwards, no-one out-scored the Briton, who went on to break both his and the team's victory duck with a sublime drive in the rain in Hungary. A podium finish at the final round confirmed Button in sixth spot overall, with 56 points, while Barrichello raised his game to take seventh, albeit 26 points adrift of his team-mate.
The same combination remained in place for 2007 but, elsewhere, there were changes and the team sported a dramatic new look following the departure of BAT. The earth-liveried RA107 may have been a novel idea, but the car itself was nothing short of a disaster.
After Honda ended 2006 so well, expectation was high for 07, but the team failed and failed miserably. In the end the outfit scored only 6 points and finished ahead of only Super Aguri and Spyker in the constructors' championship.
All six points came from Button, thanks two eighth places and a fifth, while Rubens had his worst season ever - the first time in his Formula 1 career he has not scored.
Both Button and Barrichello will remain again in 2008 and they will be praying after hitting rock bottom that the team can go forward.
As part of Honda's plan to make progress, ex-Ferrari technical director, Ross Brawn has been appointed as team principal, something that was rumoured all season long and finally confirmed in the November. He will work alongside Fry, who remains as chief executive. Both however have a lot of work to do to get Honda anywhere near the front.
