Valtteri Bottas makes history at the wheel of the 1999 Honda BAR in Melbourne
This weekend in Melbourne, on the sidelines of the Australian Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas surprised fans by driving the 1999 BAR Honda, the first Formula 1 single-seater produced at Brackley, now the base of the Mercedes-AMG F1 team. This nostalgia-filled moment highlighted a bygone era of F1, marked by the roar of V10 engines and the bold aesthetics of the single-seaters of the late 90s.
A journey back in time with a roaring V10
Accustomed to the hybrid turbos of the current generation, Bottas was able to rediscover the brutality of a Formula 1 powered by a V10. The BAR 01, fielded in 1999 by British American Racing for its first season in F1, was equipped with a Supertec V10 engine, derived from Renault blocks. Despite a livery divided into two parts (Lucky Strike and 555) which was controversial at the time, the car remains memorable for its unique character.
A nod to Brackley, home of Mercedes
If today the Mercedes team dominates the paddock from its headquarters in Brackley, the structure has experienced several lives before reaching the top. BAR, then Honda, Brawn GP, and finally Mercedes, the British factory has seen some of the biggest names in motorsport. The event, organized in partnership with the Australian Grand Prix, also aimed to remind fans how technological evolution has transformed the discipline, from the naturally aspirated era to the current hybrid engines.
An unforgettable experience for Bottas
Known for his love of the past and his taste for vintage culture, the Finnish driver didn’t hide his pleasure. A moment full of emotions that, for a few laps, took Melbourne and F1 enthusiasts back to a time when performance was primarily expressed through the mechanical roar and raw talent of the drivers.
