Zoom Button has a contract but no team for 2009

Nick Fry on Friday said he is confident Honda will find a buyer for the Brackley-based Formula One team and be on the grid in Melbourne next March.

Citing the world economic situation, in which sales of cars has crashed, Honda Motor Company announced from Tokyo that it will no longer be involved with the sport.

The team is therefore currently on the market, and in a race against time to find a buyer before the factory doors are closed.

Team Chief Executive Fry told the BBC: "In the last 12 hours we've had three serious people come and suggest they'd like to buy the team."

Honda, although uncompetitive in the last two years, spent most of last season working on its 2009 car and is prepared to assume any debts, and sell the team as a going concern for a nominal sum.

"I've no doubt Honda would have been in the top four next year without any problems," claimed F1 Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone. "They've spent a lot of money to put themselves in that position so if anyone does want to be in F1 this is a team they should look to buy. It's a big opportunity for any company that's run efficiently to benefit."

Fry revealed that should the team survive, Jenson Button is first in line for a race seat.

"He has a contract with the team for next year," Fry said, referring to the 28-year-old British driver.

He said a decision about Button's team-mate, with Rubens Barrichello, Bruno Senna and Lucas di Grassi believed to be in the reckoning, has not yet been taken.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International