Honda have promised to continue the link with Formula One team Jordan for two more years despite signing a £100 million deal with newcomers British American Racing yesterday. The Japanese company, once the most feared name on the grid after helping Williams and McLaren to six championship titles in succession, has announced a three-year deal with BAR.
Honda will also design and develop engines which will be supplied through its sister company, Mugen, to Jordan until the end of 2001.
Eddie Jordan said yesterday that his team - which has been supplied with Mugen-Honda engines since 1998 - would receive engines through Mugen on an "equal specification basis".
"This is great news for Jordan Grand Prix," he said. "As our current third position in the world championship demonstrates, we have developed an excellent relationship with Mugen-Honda."
Hockey: Instonians made the perfect start to their European club championship bid in Milan yesterday when they swept to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Czech side Bohemians Prague.
Julian Lewis opened the scoring in the 25th minute when he converted a penalty stroke after Clark Kennedy had been fouled. Kennedy doubled the margin from a penalty corner on the stroke of half-time, with John Atkins adding a third goal 15 minutes after the restart before Bohemians' late reply.
The Northern side, who require a top two finish to earn a berth in the A division next season, will face Stockholm today.
Athletics: The Invitation Mile forms the main event in today's Fila Games at the Mary Peters track in Belfast. The first prize of £500 will be doubled if the winner breaks the four-minute barrier, making it the richest mile in the country for some years.
With the in-form James McIlroy and David Matthews part of the small Irish contingent competing at the Ljubljana International in Slovenia tomorrow, the biggest challenge is likely to come from Niall Bruton, Ireland's fastest miler in recent years, Martin McCarthy of Cork, Belfast's Gareth Turnbull and Dermot Donnelly.
Rowing: National champion Albert Maher won the Guinness Centenary Sculling Challenge at the Marina, Cork, yesterday evening. Neptune clubman Maher, representing the Dublin sculling ladder, easily defeated Cork representative Noel Monahan (Shandon) and Belfast's Enda Marron of Lady Victoria Boat Club. Dublin clubs had a double when Ailis Holohan of Commercial Rowing Club won the women's race after a great struggle with Francis McGrath from Belfast Boat Club, to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Alison Downey of Bantry Rowing Club was third.
