Japan: BAR Honda secure fifth place

Sato at Suzuka
By Phil Huff (12/10/2003)
October 12 2003

Lucky Strike BAR Honda captured fifth place in the FIA Constructors' Championship in true style at Suzuka. Jenson Button matched his best ever Grand Prix result taking a strong fourth place.

Local Japanese star Takuma Sato made a superb debut for the team, delighting the locals with sixth place.

While others opted for a three-stop strategy, BAR employed two-stop tactics to score its best result of the 2003 season, with both drivers in the points.

For the second race in succession, Jenson led briefly as others pitted while Takuma survived and early brush with Michael Schumacher's Ferrari. The German lost his car's nose cone in the incident but still clinched an unprecedented sixth world crown.

The race was won by his team-mate Rubens Barrichello.