This week's Grapevine brings you information fresh from the paddock on: CART Goes to Brands BAR Tap Honda

CART Goes to Brands

The old Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch might well not be worth considering by Bernie Ecclestone for hosting a Formula One event these days, but that didn't stop CART from striking a deal to make an appearance - and over the shorter Indy version, at that.

It is going to be an interesting proposition: the lap times will come in between 30 and 35 seconds; there is not exactly a lot of width to play with; and most of the barriers have had to be rebuilt, to bring them up to scratch to stop an out of control CART car safely. The access is restricted to areas where there is any risk of a car going over the barriers. And qualifying is to be in a 'single car' format to accommodate the tight track, though with four of six laps to be timed, rather than Formula One's one of three approach. There are other changes, including restrictions to pitstops and the number of team members permitted to carry them out, respecting the small area available.

At first sight, this doesn't seem to have a lot to do with Formula One - but in fact, it addresses a core difference between the sports: what they are all about.

Something that didn't make too many headlines at Imola was the drop in attendance over the weekend, particularly on Friday, as even the tifosi seem to be questioning the value of a weekend pass. With better views available on television, no travel hassles, and a considerable saving on the pocket, the stay at home option has some considerable advantages.

One of CART's biggest attractions has always been a focus on the fans. The drivers make themselves available over the race weekend, and spectators have relatively easy access to get close to the cars and team members, with the attitude very much one of providing the paying public with a service. Even if the circuit is restrictive, or the race itself proves to be processional, those who have made the effort to attend are given every opportunity to take away a positive experience.

In comparison, the Formula One view is clear: it's not sound business practice to give free pit access to the masses, when you can sell it to the sponsors for a thousand bucks a head.

BAR Tap Honda

In their continuing drive to move up the grid, BAR are certainly not sparing the horses, and they are taking every opportunity that comes their way to step up.

To date, the team have carried something of a reputation for spouting plenty of hot air, but failing to deliver on high budget promises: given Jacques Villeneuve's high profile presence, big name designers, and huge budgets, it's little surprise that most consider this team the biggest under-achiever in the paddock. A reputation that David Richards is already starting to change.

The new car has raised a few eyebrows. Considering last season's lacklustre showing, where the team again demonstrated poor reliability alongside a consistent lack of pace, few believed that Richards had been in place long enough to really turn it around - let alone persuade Honda to deliver an engine that actually lives up to promises.

However, it does seem that Honda have finally pulled their finger out, and are getting on with the job of closing the gap to the big boys. The current engine actually started out a fraction heavier than the design specification agreed last September, but the latest evolution has put that to rights. More to the point, it has ironed out some issues with the smoothness of power delivery, taking out spikes. The traction control has less work to do, improving fuel efficiency (by as much as seven percent, allegedly), and allowing Honda to move the peak rev limit up another 200rpm. Not a bad improvement for a 'step' evolution, and putting the engine well on the track to meet the development objectives for the year.

As much to the point, Honda's continued involvement in the chassis is starting to yield some decent fruits. Honda's engineers have been able to identify potential weaknesses in the hydraulics, and are responsible for improving the reliability of the gears within the gearbox by thirty percent (though that is an unqualified statistic). Their chassis investigations concluded early on that the quality assurance procedures could be improved, and working alongside Richards' incoming personnel, have 'evolved' the approach. The electronics are now completely integrated, and there are fewer problems with the systems as a result.

This investment in the infrastructure of the car is one of the key elements allowing technical director Geoff Willis and his team to concentrate on realising the design concepts, without being committed to evolving all the procedures to back them up. This year, the chassis is substantially more predictable than last, thanks to both the improved consistency in construction, and a design philosophy that keeps torsional rigidity top on the list of priorities: another clear demonstration of the Williams influence in Willis' background. From a stable chassis, the car has a solid foundation, allowing the aerodynamics to be the priority for the remainder of the year, which should give Willis a chance to show his metal.

Since Willis started at BAR, it has often been mentioned that new aerodynamic components have a very Williams look to them, implying that the designer has simply brought the concepts from his old team, but it is really not as simple as that. Although, on first arriving at BAR, there were some noticeable benefits from exploiting ideas developed at Williams that could be put directly into practice, the new car is designed around different criteria. The lighter engine has resulted in a shift to the centre of gravity, permits the engine cover to be tighter, and influences the suspension geometry, so the aero package has been massively revised to match.

In the pipeline, there are a few interesting aero ideas that are starting to come through. The team have two distinct upgrades planned in the medium term, beyond that being brought in at the Spanish Grand Prix, with a high downforce update due for Monaco, and a low downforce package for Canada. The Monaco package is not completed yet, but is on track to improve downforce over the Spain set-up by around seven percent for a fractional increase in drag.

Of course, working to close the gap to the front runners during the season, considering their rate of development, is very expensive work, and BAR's sponsors are not forthcoming with ever greater funding to meet the budget. Revisions to personnel last year freed up a very impressive stack of cash to invest in the car, but of course, a significant chunk of the overall budget still goes into Villeneuve's pocket. Given that one of the key reasons that Villeneuve is in such a strong position with the team was the support he received from the Honda board, it would not be surprising to discover that Richards has talked the manufacturer in to a funding agreement. Given the early season development drives the car forward - and brings points - then Honda will provide funding towards development over the second half of the season.

It could be a very good investment. Judging by performances to date, and the plans coming through the pipeline, there is every danger that BAR might finally be scoring the podiums they target - and then they will be taken seriously in the paddock!