 The BAR 006 ofTakuma Sato | |||||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | BAR-Honda | ||||||||||
| Designers | Geoff Willis(Technical Director) Gary Savage(Deputy Technical Director) Kevin Taylor(Chief Engineer, Composites and Structures) Willem Toet(Chief Engineer, Aerodynamics and Development) Mark Ellis(Chief Engineer, Vehicle Performance) Ian Wright(Chief Engineer, Vehicle Dynamics) Jörg Zander(Chief Engineer, Transmission and Mechanical) Simon Lacey(Head of Aerodynamics) Mariano Alperin [ja](Chief Aerodynamicist) Takeo Kiuchi(Engine Project Leader - Honda) | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | 005 | ||||||||||
| Successor | 007 | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Compositemonocoque | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbones,push rod-operatedtorsion springs anddampers | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Double wishbones,push rod-operatedtorsion springs anddampers | ||||||||||
| Engine | Honda RA004E 3,000 cc (183.1 cu in) 90°V10,naturally aspirated,mid-mounted | ||||||||||
| Transmission | X-Trac 7-speedsequentialsemi-automatic | ||||||||||
| Power | 940-960 hp @ 18,700 RPM | ||||||||||
| Fuel | Elf | ||||||||||
| Lubricants | ENEOS | ||||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable entrants | Lucky StrikeBAR Honda | ||||||||||
| Notable drivers | 9. Jenson Button10.  Takuma Sato | ||||||||||
| Debut | 2004 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last event | 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||||
TheBAR 006 was aFormula One car that competed in the2004 Formula One season. The car was driven byJenson Button andTakuma Sato, and the official test driver wasAnthony Davidson. The car scored 11 podiums and a single pole position, with theBAR-Honda team finishing second in the2004 championship. The BAR-Honda 006 was officially launched atCircuit de Catalunya, Spain on 1 February.
From the onset of the season, the car proved to be very competitive withJenson Button scoring six podiums from the first eight races, including his first podium inMalaysia as well as his first pole position inImola. The podiums continued withTakuma Sato becoming the first Japanese driver to score a podium since 1990 atIndianapolis and Button taking four further podiums in the latter stages of the season. Overall the car scored 11 podiums and one pole position.
After a close fight with Renault, BAR-Honda finished second in the Constructors' Championship, beating every team exceptFerrari. Button, who many tipped as driver of the year, finished third in the Drivers' Championship. Despite some reliability problems for Sato, he finished eighth in the Drivers' Championship, the best-ever result for a Japanese and Asian driver in Formula One.[1]
Launch control andfully-automatic gearboxes were also banned for2004, which had been used by the team for the previous three seasons, since their reintroduction at the2001 Spanish Grand Prix.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
The team's third driver, Anthony Davidson, drove the Spanish, Italian and Brazilian friday practice sessions with a new colouring. FIA regulations allowed the third car to have a different livery from the race cars; the task was to create a design for title sponsor Lucky Strike that showed the progression of the livery over the last few years, and also to come up with a new concept.[8] In Spain, a black and white colour scheme appeared on Davidson's car. In Italy, Davidson's car had an x-ray effect that incorrectly showed the driver's feet. In Brazil, there was a "graffiti"-style paint job that included Davidson's own face, and on the side of the car the words "Brazil 04".[9][10]
In China, team ownerBritish American Tobacco wanted to promote its555 branding and thus all team members, including all three drivers, wore special blue-yellow overalls and clothing throughout the weekend.[11] Davidson drove a blue-yellow 555-coloured car in Friday's practice. Button and Sato drove all weekend with the traditional red and white Lucky Strike-coloured car.
BAR used the 'Lucky Strike' logos, except at theCanadian,French, andBritish Grands Prix, and '555' logos inChina.
During the 2004-2005 offseason, BAR used the 05 Concept Car, a modified version of the 006, notably featuring a black and gray livery, the Honda RA005E engine from the following season, as well as the rear end of the future 007.[12]
(key) (results inbold indicate pole position, results initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Lucky StrikeBARHonda | Honda RA004EV10 | M | AUS | MAL | BHR | SMR | ESP | MON | EUR | CAN | USA | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | CHN | JPN | BRA | 119 | 2nd | |
| Jenson Button | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | Ret | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | Ret | 3 | 2 | 3 | Ret | ||||||
| Takuma Sato | 9 | 15† | 5 | 16† | 5 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 3 | Ret | 11 | 8 | 6 | Ret | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
