Advertisement

Honda to sever relationship with CART

MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 12 (UPI) -- CART's decision to conform to the Indy Racing League has cost the series an engine supplier.

Three weeks after changing its rules in order to follow in the tire marks of the rival open-wheel racing series, CART announced Friday that Honda will end its relationship with the circuit in 2003.

Advertisement

Last week, CART approved a shift from its current turbo-charged engine to a 3.5-liter, normally aspirated one, enabling teams to compete in both open-wheel series.

Tom Elliott, Honda's president of performance development, had harsh comments toward CART, especially after investing what he called a tremendous amount of time, money and resources.

"Confidence is an integral part of this long-term commitment," he said. "And Honda cannot work in an environment where the sanctioning body has such little regard for its engine manufacturers."

John Lopes, CART's senior vice president of race operations, said the circuit is committed to creating specifications "that are in the best interest of the sport."

"CART has worked very closely with Honda, as well as our other engine suppliers, throughout this process," Lopes said. "And we understand their disappointment in the decision not going the way they were hoping it would."

Advertisement

CART was pressured into the decision after Toyota said it would supply engines only to circuits that met IRL specifications. The Japanese automaker had expressed impatience with CART's failure to announce its engine plans.

At the time, Toyota senior vice president J. Davis Illingworth Jr. said it was not financially prudent to supply different engine specs to two U.S.-based circuits while in the early stages of an international Formula One program.

However, Honda said it is impossible to continue to develop and produce the current turbo-charged engine for 2002 while diverting the resources needed to develop the new engine in CART's timetable.

CART called its rule change an aggressive step toward the future of the sport that enables the circuit to conform to all major racing series, including Formula One, and still remain distinctive.

Lopes said CART is actively pursuing engine supplier options and will continue to do so over the coming weeks and months.

"Our mission is to aggressively grow CART and CART racing," he said. "And a significant element of that challenge is maintaining and building the technical and competition side of our sport."

Among those drivers who will be looking for a new engine will be series leader Gil de Ferran. Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti and Helio Castroneves among others.

Advertisement

Since joining CART in 1994, Honda has won 60 of 143 races while taking 60 poles. It also has won five consecutive manufacturers championships, the most of any company since its inception.

Toyota, Honda and Ford are the major suppliers to CART.

Latest Headlines