BAR to race unbranded.
Despite being among the list of teams to question the validity of laws prohibiting the advertisement of tobacco products within the European Union, BAR has decided to ditch its Lucky Strike logos for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Brackley team was one of those to ask for a clarification of the law as regards television images beamed back into Britain from abroad - an offence that could carry severe repercussions given the current, ambiguous wording of the legislation - but has since decided the run one of the three alternative liveries it had prepared at the Hungaroring.
Despite being among the list of teams to question the validity of laws prohibiting the advertisement of tobacco products within the European Union, BAR has decided to ditch its Lucky Strike logos for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Brackley team was one of those to ask for a clarification of the law as regards television images beamed back into Britain from abroad - an offence that could carry severe repercussions given the current, ambiguous wording of the legislation - but has since decided the run one of the three alternative liveries it had prepared at the Hungaroring.
The Europe-wide law, which comes into effect from midnight on 31 July, has been taken by the British government to mean the prohibition of all print, television and radio advertising, as well as sponsorship, and could land any British-based team in hot water should images containing such branding be seen in Britain. McLaren removed its West branding overnight - although it was due to announce the switch to Johnnie Walker whisky sponsorship anyway - while it remains to be seen what other tobacco-backed teams decide to do.
"While British American Tobacco is aware of recent efforts by the [British] government to clarify the position regarding tobacco branding, we had made a decision to run unbranded at the race on advice we had at that point," a statement issued by the tobacco company read.
