BAR Supertec 01 Monaco GP 99 Villeneuve

Model Brand: TAMEO
Scale: 1/43
Builder: Kane & Co.
Description & Highlight:

This is the most beautiful livery I have ever seen. The livery On the right side of the car is carrying 555 and on the other side is carrying Lucky Strike. On the right side is painted dark night blue and covered with stars. The model is painted in multi colour to represent two tobacco brands. This model is built from the full white metal kit with weight; they are built with the aim of offering the best possible reproduction of the real racing cars. The body included the decals are covered with high gloss clear coat. The wings and some other parts are welded together to enhance the rigidity. All the swing arms are covered with semi gloss black to highlight the realistic from a real car of the year. The model is mounted on high quality acrylic display case with descriptions.

Story: British American Racing was a Formula One constructor that competed in the sport from 1999 to 2005. BAR began by acquiring Tyrrell, and used Supertec engines for their first year. Subsequently they formed a partnership with Honda which lasted for the next six years.

The team was named after British American Tobacco plc (BAT), which owned and sponsored it in order to display its Lucky Strike and 555 brands. In mid-November 2004 Honda purchased 45% of the team, and in September 2005 purchased the remaining 55% share to become the sole owner. Consequently BAR Honda became the Honda team for the 2006 Formula One season. BAT continued as title sponsor with the Lucky Strike brand, but due to new tobacco advertising regulations worldwide pulled its Lucky Strike sponsorship from Formula One entirely at the end of the 2006 season.

On 23 July 1998 BAR announced the signing of World Champion Jacques Villeneuve away from Williams with a lucrative contract for the 1999 season.<3> Pollock had managed Villeneuve throughout his racing career. Villeneuve was joined by F1 rookie Ricardo Zonta. The car’s chassis was built by Reynard Motorsport at a new factory in Brackley and was powered by Supertec (rebadged Renault) engines. Pollock bragged about how successful the team would be in its maiden year.

At the launch of their new car BAR unveiled separate liveries for their cars; Villeneuve’s car painted in a Lucky Strike livery and Zonta’s carrying a blue and yellow 555 livery. The FIA deemed the dual liveries illegal under F1 regulations which state that a team’s cars must carry largely identical liveries. BAR lodged a complaint with the International Chamber of Commerce (as permitted under F1’s regulations) but simultaneously lodged a complaint with the European Commission. Pollock was summoned to the World Motor Sport Council to explain the team behaviour. A potential fine and/or ban was averted when Pollock agreed to abide by the F1 arbitration process, admitted that in filing the complaint to the EC his lawyers had acted independently and that declarations made in the claim did not reflect his personal views. He also apologised to the Council and reiterated his acceptance of the FIA’s authority.<4> To get around the ban BAR ran one side of their cars painted in the white and red of BAT’s Lucky Strike brand, and the other side in blue and yellow to advertise 555. BAR reverted to a more traditional style of livery for 2000 onwards.

In a “disastrous” maiden season BAR failed to score a single point in the Constructors’ Championship.<5> Villeneuve started the year with 11 straight retirements, and failed to finish a race until the Belgian Grand Prix that August. Zonta missed three races due to an injury and managed only a best finish of 8th. Mika Salo, who filled in for Zonta while he was hurt, provided the team with its best finish of 7th. Thanks to the backing from BAT, British American Racing benefitted from significant funding and a lavish budget in their opening season but it was reported that by half way through the season they had already overspent that budget by enough to keep Formula 1 minnows Minardi racing for several years.

– Due to the display of your computer, the colour of the model may differ slightly from the original.