BAR Honda 005 Review

By Phil Huff
January 14 2003

BAR-Talk takes a look at some of the finer details of the 2003 challenger, the Lucky Strike BAR Honda 005. Pictures from today's launch illustrate the latest developments.

		Radical Bargeboards The BAR005 includes a number of significant developments, including these neat looking bargeboards. Mounted in the suspension, much further forward than is normal, the boards are more noticeable simply because of a lack of traditional bargeboards. Despite being mounted in the suspension, where moveable aerodynamic devices are banned, it is assumed that the FIA has given the green light for BAR to race this set up.
		Side Aerofoils Perhaps replacing the more traditional bargeboards are these side mounted aerofoils. Similar to those employed by Williams, these appear to be a tidy solution to the problem of managing airflow around the car.
		Big Flipups Not a very technical name, but these are vital to reduce drag by channelling the fast moving air over and around the rear wheels towards the rear wing, maximising downforce.
		Traditional Single Keel Geoff Willis, as he did at Williams, appears to have ignored the twin keel approach championed by Sauber. The twin keel approach offers some aerodynamic benefits, but causes problems with strength and chassis flex.
		Small but no Ferrari The back end looks to be quite tidy and compact, but is still noticeably larger than the Ferrari F2002's rear. The smaller the car at the back, the more efficient the airflow over the rear wing - it's still good by F1 standards, though.
		How Low Can BAR Go A lot of work seems to have gone in to lowering whatever can be lowered - the cockpit is one of the lowest ever seen, giving the car a very aggressive stance, but will this lead to visibility problems? The lower the car, the lower the centre of gravity, and the better the vehicle handling and aerodynamics, so it's not difficult to see why BAR have worked on this area.