Having already cancelled the team's Christmas bash, the Honda F1 team has now cancelled its traditional festive media lunch, due to take place at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire this afternoon.

According to a brief report in The Independent, Nick Fry sent out an e-mail late on Monday evening.

"Honda, like others, has been forced to put production on short-time," he wrote. "In light of this we do not think it would be appropriate to continue with our lunch."

Of course, some might argue that while Honda, like its rivals, is suffering the financial pinch, others will no doubt wonder whether Mr Fry is sparing himself an afternoon of torture as the assembled journos - despite the levels of booze poured down their throats - ask how the team can justify being the biggest spender in F1 yet having finished only ninth in the Constructors' Championship with just 14 points.

Despite the cancellation of both dos, Mr Fry, who was paid £539,000 in 2006, will no doubt be sending a local urchin (is that you Rubens?) out on Christmas Day to the buy the massive bird in Tesco's window (no jokes please), while Ross 'Cratchit' Brawn and the Brackley boys work on the new car.