British American Racing

British American Tobacco had sponsored several Formula One teams for years through its brand portfolio. In 1997, BAT was persuaded by Craig Pollock — who managed 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve — to purchase the Tyrrell Formula One team for approximately £30 million. Adrian Reynard and Rick Gorne were minority partners in the purchase. Tyrrell raced under its own name in 1998 before the new BAR identity was launched for 1999.

The team's preparation attracted controversy before a lap had been turned. At the launch of the 1999 car, BAR unveiled separate liveries for their two cars — Villeneuve in Lucky Strike colours and Ricardo Zonta in the blue and yellow 555 scheme. The FIA ruled the dual liveries illegal under regulations requiring largely identical car liveries. BAR lodged complaints but ultimately ran a compromise where each side of the car was painted in one of the two schemes. The episode introduced the team to the press under the subtitle of controversy rather than competitiveness.

BAR's first season was broadly acknowledged as one of the worst debuts by a well-funded team in the sport's history. Despite having Adrian Reynard's chassis expertise, a Supertec (rebadged Renault) engine, and the reigning World Champion in Villeneuve, the team failed to score a single point across the entire season. Villeneuve suffered eleven consecutive retirements to open his BAR career before his first race finish. The team's best result was a seventh-place finish by stand-in driver Mika Salo at San Marino, but even that came after Salo himself had not reached the finish line. BAR finished the season as the only one of eleven teams without a single championship point.

During 1999, BAR announced a new engine deal with Honda beginning in 2000, establishing a partnership that would define the team's remaining existence. Honda supplied not just engines but full factory support, making BAR their sole works partner from 2003 after dropping Jordan Grand Prix. Under Craig Pollock, the team made steady progress in 2000, reaching fourth-place finishes and completing more races reliably, though a race win remained elusive. Fifth in the 2000 Constructors' Championship represented genuine forward movement.

Pollock departed under pressure from BAT on the eve of the 2002 car launch and was replaced by David Richards, whose Prodrive company was awarded a management contract. The team continued to struggle for consistent results through 2002. For 2003, Jenson Button joined to replace Toyota-bound Olivier Panis, and Villeneuve was replaced mid-season by Honda-backed Takuma Sato. Button's arrival set the stage for the team's best period. He led a race for the first time at the 2003 United States Grand Prix, the team switched from Bridgestone to Michelin tyres in the off-season, and the foundations for a breakthrough were assembled.

The 2004 season was the closest BAR came to genuine championship contention. Button scored multiple podium finishes and took the team's first pole position at San Marino. Ultimately BAR finished second in the Constructors' Championship with 119 points, beaten only by the overwhelmingly dominant Ferrari of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. Despite this success, BAR had still never won a Formula One Grand Prix. A bitter dispute with Williams over Button's 2005 contract — both teams believing they held valid contracts — was resolved in BAR's favour by the Contract Recognition Board, with Button remaining. Honda simultaneously purchased a 45% stake in the team in late 2004, with David Richards departing and Nick Fry becoming team principal.

The 2005 season opened with the team uncompetitive in the early flyaway races, then generated significant controversy when both cars were disqualified from the San Marino Grand Prix and the team was banned for two races — including Monaco — for running cars whose total weight could fall below the minimum 605 kg limit. BAR argued the engine required a minimum fuel quantity to operate and should be judged only during racing, not post-race scrutineering; the FIA disagreed. The ban was the most severe sanction of its kind in the contemporary sport. Button still managed to score in each of the final ten races, including two podium finishes, and the team finished third in the Constructors' Championship.

At the end of 2005, Honda completed its purchase of the remaining 55% of BAR from British American Tobacco, becoming sole owner. The team was renamed Honda Racing F1 Team for 2006, and Button signed a multi-year extension. Jenson Button's Williams deal was bought out for US$30 million to ensure he remained with the operation moving forward into the Honda era.

British American Racing never reached the victory it promised at launch, but the infrastructure, personnel, and operational framework it built in Brackley proved durable. Under Honda the team won one race in 2006 before struggling, but the same organisation — transformed into Brawn GP under Ross Brawn — won the 2009 Constructors' and Drivers' Championships in its first and only season. Mercedes subsequently purchased Brawn GP and the Brackley base became the foundation of one of the sport's most successful dynasties. The lineage from Tyrrell to BAR to Honda to Brawn to Mercedes represents one of the most consequential ownership and management transitions in Formula One history.