The BAR 006 was a Formula One car that competed in the 2004 Formula One season. The car was driven by Jenson Button and Takuma Sato, and the official test driver was Anthony Davidson. The car scored 11 podiums and a single pole position, with the BAR-Honda team finishing second in the 2004 championship. The BAR-Honda 006 was officially launched at Circuit de Catalunya, Spain on 1 February.

BAR 006
The BAR 006 of Takuma Sato
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorBAR-Honda
Designer(s)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)
Predecessor005
Successor007
Technical specifications
ChassisComposite monocoque
Suspension (front)Double wishbones, push rod-operated torsion springs and dampers
Suspension (rear)Double wishbones, push rod-operated torsion springs and dampers
EngineHonda RA004E 3,000 cc (183.1 cu in) 90° V10, naturally aspirated, mid-mounted
TransmissionX-Trac 7-speed sequential semi-automatic
Power940-960 hp @ 18,700 RPM
FuelElf
LubricantsENEOS
TyresMichelin
Competition history
Notable entrantsLucky Strike BAR Honda
Notable drivers9. United Kingdom Jenson Button
10. Japan Takuma Sato
Debut2004 Australian Grand Prix
Last event2004 Brazilian Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
1801110
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

Season

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Button driving the 006 at the Canadian Grand Prix

From the onset of the season, the car proved to be very competitive with Jenson Button scoring six podiums from the first eight races, including his first podium in Malaysia as well as his first pole position in Imola. The podiums continued with Takuma Sato becoming the first Japanese driver to score a podium since 1990 at Indianapolis 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 except Ferrari. 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 and fully-automatic gearboxes were also banned for 2004, which had been used by the team for the previous three seasons, since their reintroduction at the 2001 Spanish Grand Prix.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Sponsorship and livery

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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 owner British American Tobacco wanted to promote its 555 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 'Lucky Strike' logos in all other races except the Canadian, French, and British Grands Prix, and '555' logos in China.

BAR 05 Concept Car

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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]

Complete Formula One results

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(key) (results in bold indicate pole position, results in italics 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 Strike BAR Honda Honda RA004E V10 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

References

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  1. ^ "Takuma SATO • STATS F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  2. ^ "Traction Control to Stay in F1 in 2004 - F1 - Autosport". autosport.com. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  3. ^ "FIA makes massive changes to F1; several technological enhancements banned". Autoweek. 14 January 2003. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Knutson: F1 shifting gears, literally". ESPN.com. 22 February 2004. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Less electronics will make life interesting". au.motorsport.com. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  6. ^ "F1 2004 - Australian GP Highlights (Greek Subs)" – via www.youtube.com.
  7. ^ "- YouTube". www.youtube.com.
  8. ^ "New look for BAR". motorsport.com. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Anthony Davidson's BAR Friday testers, 2004". f1colours.wordpress.com. 11 January 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Brazil: A final 'Radical' livery for Davidson". f1network.net. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  11. ^ "New look for BAR in China". motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  12. ^ "BAR concept car ready for testing". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 30 November 2021.