The Guardian newspaper reports that BAR insiders have hinted that the team's owner, British American Tobacco, has been discreetly sounding out potential buyers for almost a year and selling to Honda, BAR's engine partner, could make sense on two crucial counts.
It would raise Honda's profile to be a team owner, rather than simply an engine supplier, at a time when its rival Toyota is seeking to raise the performance of its own team.
And a buyout would relieve BAT of its share of the $200million (£108million) cost of running the team at a time when tobacco sponsorship of any sport is being increasingly restricted.
There is also speculation that BAR's team principal David Richards may stand down and return to his role as chairman of Prodrive, the Banbury-based firm which runs the works Subaru rally team and recently revealed its Aston Martin DBR9 GT, expected to race at Le Mans and other sportscar endurance events in 2005.
