The Honda F1 management buy-out is going ahead with funding from Honda in Japan, F1 ‘supremo’ Bernie Ecclestone and an undisclosed commercial sponsor, the
The newspaper’s journalists claim to have exclusive inside information confirming the buy-out deal has reached the stage where contracts have been signed. That means Jenson Button will definitely be on the starting grid at Melbourne behind the wheel of a car powered by Mercedes engines under a supply deal brokered with McLaren.
The second driver has not been confirmed, although Rubens Barrichello is still in the frame alongside F1 newcomer Bruno Senna – nephew of the late, great Ayrton.
Although the team sponsor is not known either, TheTimes says its sources can rule out speculation that it will be the Virgin Group.
While Honda has apparently agreed to partially funding the team through the 2008 season, it is not yet clear what the new outfit will be called. The team’s first outing will apparently be a ‘shakedown’ test at Silverstone next Thursday, followed by an appearance at a full F1 test session in Barcelona on March 9th.
With no sponsor confirmed it seems likely that the car will appear without stickers or a paint job, although things happen fast in F1 so a last-minute sponsor announcement can’t be ruled out.
The buyout led by Ross Brawn and Nick Fry was apparently signed off by Honda’s board in Tokyo last Monday.