BAR to break test pact

BAR, banned for cheating, may opt out of the nine-team 'gentlemen's agreement' on testing. Team 'CEO' Nick Fry said the Brackley outfit will be disadvantaged by missing out on two grands prix of track action.

''Clearly we will have that debate,'' Fry, when asked how other teams might react if BAR-Honda went pedal-to-the-metal on the test track, revealed. He added: ''But we will be (not) be doing that by (making) some independent decision.''

Fry also indicated that the court of appeal's punitive verdict is already having repercussions along pitlane, such as some teams 'thinking twice' about their own cars' legality. ''I know,'' he continued, ''there are a lot of thought provoking discussions going on.'' GMMf1NET