Honda clinches manufacturers' championship.

A third place finish for defending series champion Gil de Ferran was more than enough for Honda to clinch the 2001 CART manufacturers' championship at Laguna Seca.

It is the company's fourth manufacturer's title since entering Champcar competition at the start of the 1994 season, and the third in the last four years.

The title came, coincidentally, at the end of the Honda Grand Prix of Monterey, but the Japanese company was ironically prevented from stealing to glory on the back of a race win as the event turned into a battle of pit strategy following a large number of on-track incidents.

A race record eight caution periods stopped the dominant Marlboro Team Penske duo of de Ferran and Helio Castroneves from following up their control of the speed charts with anything better than third place, as the reigning champion elected not to challenge for the lead, instead protecting his points advantage as he seeks to repeat his driver's championship.

Castroneves was delayed by pit-lane contact with fellow Honda runner Paul Tracy, while the resulting suspension damage also ended Tracy's day. The Canadian's Team KOOL Green team-mate Dario Franchitti ended up out of the race after contact with Christian Fittipaldi.

There was little better luck for the other Honda drivers, as Tony Kanaan ran in the lead pack all day to finish eighth and new Mo Nunn team-mate Casey Mears earned his first championship points with an eleventh place run. Electrical failure ended Shinji Nakano's run after just 41 laps, while Adrian Fernandez rounded out the top ten finishers, as one of those benefiting from good pit calls but having to drop out of the lead for a final splash of fuel. Michael Andretti ended up just outside of the points after a first lap spin. He finished 14th and was eliminated from title contention as a result.

Ironically, Honda has announced that it will leave the CART series in 2003, after stating that it was unhappy with the way the engine builders had been treated over the decision to switch to a 3.5 litre, normally-aspirated, formula.