BAR Honda fight race ban
The team looking for a way to race this weekend
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BAR Honda want to race this weekend
BAR-Honda plan to go to court to claim their place on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix after being thrown out of the event here Thursday afternoon.
The team were banned from this weekend's race and the next race in Monaco after a court of appeal hearing in Paris concluded they had failed to comply with the regulations at the last race in San Marino.
But they are determined to continue racing this weekend and in a statement team principal Nick Fry said:
"BAR- Honda is appalled at the decision of the FIA International Court of Appeal.
"The team asserts that the judgement is contrary to all of the evidence heard yesterday. The team proved that it complied with the current regulations and the FIA now acknowledges that the regulations are unclear. We repeat that at no time did BAR Honda run underweight at the San Marino Grand Prix and this was also unchallenged by the FIA."
While the International Court of Appeal rejected the FIA's original accusations of fraud and deception, BAR Honda believe that this penalty is wholly and grossly disproportionate.
The team are advised by their legal counsel that the judgement is plainly wrong based on the evidence presented and are currently examining their options.
The team is already set up in the Barcelona paddock and Fry confirmed that they have some of the best sporting lawyers in the world working on their case.
"It's the team's objective to race here this weekend," he added.
"We need to get some judgement from a court pretty soon, probably tomorrow (Friday) morning. I think we need to get the car into qualifying so I think that will be our final deadline.
"I've spoken to (race drivers) Jenson (Button) and Takuma (Sato) and they are fully aware of the situation. Obviously what they want to do is go racing. Our practice times at the last test were impressive so we came here to win a race.
"It's especially disappointing for both of them. The next two races are crucial to us and given our performance in the last race and given our performance in testing, these are both races we can win."
Australian Minardi team chief Paul Stoddart took the FIA to court at the Australian Grand Prix in March to protest their decision not to allow his 2004-specificaion cars to race in Melbourne and won the case. But his team, who are consistently at the back of the grid, subsequently changed their plans and ran to the 2005 regulations after the future of the Australian Grand Prix was threatened due to the court's decision.
Spaniard Fernando Alonso, the world championship leader who drives for Renault, said that any team failing to observe the regulations should be appropriately punished.
"We all know there are regulations and if you break them this is what happens. Jenson (Button) drove a terrific race at Imola and it must be very disappointing for him, but I am sure they will be back," said Alonso.
Source AFP