Honda: BAR ban is too severe.

Honda has finally spoken out following the FIA court of appeal's decision to ban Formula One partner BAR for two races and strip the team of the points and podium it secured at Imola two weeks ago.

A six-hour technical inspection revealed that Jenson Button's 007 was fitted with a secondary fuel tank which, despite the race stewards clearing as not having broken the rules, the governing body later protested. Although the FIA was pushing for the maximum penalty of exclusion from the entire world championship, as well as a hefty fine, the court of appeal decided that BAR had not 'cheated', but was guilty of a 'lack of transparency', and punished it with the loss of its Imola points and a ban that covered the Spanish and Monaco grands prix.

"We feel the FIA ruling is too severe," Honda spokesman Tatsuya Iida told Reuters, "We gave them proof [that] we didn't break the rules. The regulations are very ambiguous. There should be a clear definition. We don't understand the punishment - [and] to be accused of cheating was hurtful.

"The FIA knew we had a new device in the [fuel] tank - without it, the car won't move. We feel we didn't break any rules, and the stewards agreed, so it's very sad. The decision is simply bad for the sport."