BAR jail threat lifted as tobacco laws cleared up

Count the logos...
By Phil Huff
August 24 2005

BAR Honda are free to continue running in thier distinctive Lucky Strike livery, at least for races that are outside of the European Union, after the British government clarified new anti-tobacco laws.

Sport minister Richard Caborn has written FIA president Max Mosley explaining that the British based teams, namely BAR Honda, Jordan and Renault, can continue to use full tobacco liveries outside of Europe without fear of a criminal prosecution.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair helped matter move forward, making a personal intervention in the debate over the European Union ban on tobacco sponsorship. Blair has secured a delay that will allow the F1 teams to continue in tobacco colours until the end of 2006.

BAR Honda's boss Nick Fry had feared that the ban would leave the team open to prosecution, with Fry potentially up for a jail term, should their tobacco liveried cars race at a non-European circuit where the TV pictures were broadcast back into the EU.