BAR 003 Honda
Active: 2001
Team: B.A.R Honda F1
Team: Craig Pollock (TP), Malcolm Oastler (TD), Andy Green (HD), Steve Farrell (CE)
Drivers: Olivier Panis (9), Jacques Villeneuve (10)
Following a difficult debut season and an improvement of form in 2000, BAR was looking for another step forward with its new 003. The car was again designed by the same people and driven by Panis and Villeneuve. A single lap shakedown was performed in Silverstone on 10 January by Olivier Panis, after which the car was sent to Jerez for initial testing.
At this Spanish circuit, Panis started testing while Villeneuve joined in on 17 January. The World Champion of 1997 was soon distinctly unhappy about the apparent lack of pace of the new car.
"I am disappointed, as we are quite a bit slower than last year's car and we are not sure what [the problem] is yet," the Canadian said. "Once we have found out what it is then, hopefully, the car will be a lot quicker. It's slow and difficult to drive at the moment, but we have got some ideas of what we need to try and will be concentrating on that tomorrow."
The main issue was finding a decent set-up with the car that was often dubbed as heavy to drive and "a totally different beast than its predecessor. The differences made it very difficult to get it up to speed. The next day Villeneuve's day was cut short by a crash caused by a broken suspension element. At the same time, Olivier Panis topped the times during early winter testing and he progressed with the BAR002B, fitted with new electronic components and traction control that were to be introduced later in the season, at the Spanish Grand Prix.
By 4 February the mood began to improve following "a massive amount of set-up work", but the team generally failed to impress anyone but themselves.
Once racing, reliability proved to be an issue with 12 retirements out of 34 starts. 6 points finished were secured, 2 of which were third place finishes by Villeneuve at the Spanish and German Grand Prix. The team finished 6th in the constructors' championship with 17 points, 2 less than Jordan Grand Prix who completed the season with the same Honda RA001E engines.
Specifications
Construction: Moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb composite structure that surpasses latest FIA impact and strength regulations
Front suspension: Wishbone & Pushrod-activated torsion springs and rockers, mechanical anti-roll bar
Rear suspension: Wishbone & Pushrod-activated torsion springs and rockers, mechanical anti-roll bar
Dampers: Koni
Wheels: OZ forged magnesium
Front: 315mm wide
Rear: 360mm wide
Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza radials
Brakes: AP Racing
Front: 2 x 6-piston calipers
Back: 2 x 6-piston calipers Brake discs / pads Carbon / carbon
Steering: BAR Rack & Pinion
Steering wheel: Carbon fibre construction
Driver’s seat: Anatomically formed carbon composite
Seat belts: Six-point harness (75mm shoulder straps)
ATL: Kevlar-reinforced rubber bladder
Fuel capacity: 100 kg
Fuel provider: Nisseki
Lubricants: provider Nisseki
Battery: 12v 5Ah lead acid
Instrumentation: BAR Steering Wheel Dash Display
Gearbox: BAR Xtrac 6 speed unit
Gear selection: Sequential, semi-automatic, hydraulic activation
Clutch: AP, triple-plate carbon
Dimensions
Front track: 1460 mm
Rear track: 1420 mm
Wheel base: 3050 mm
Overall length: 4550 mm
Overall height: 950 mm
Overall width: 1800 mm
Engine
Designation: Honda RA001E
Type: V10 Normal Aspiration
Capacity: 3 litres
Brake horsepower: Over 800hp
Cylinder heads: 4 Valves Per Cylinder Ð Pneumatic Valve System
Injection: Honda PGM Ð FI
Ignition: Honda PGM Ð IG
Spark plugs: NGK
RPM: Over 17,000 rpm
Throttle: Electro Hydraulic
Block: Aluminium