17/01/2005
NEWS STORY
Following the launch of its 2005 contender, the 007, the BAR team looked ahead to the coming season and admitted that nothing less than a win will be acceptable in the year ahead.
"We have to get a win this year, if we don't it's going to be very disappointing," said Jenson Button, who made it to the podium on ten occasions last year, but never higher than the second step.
"We've made a good step forward with the car, we've pushed it as close to the limit as we can with the new regulations," he continued, "so we'll be very disappointed as a team, and I will be personally, if we don't get a win this year.
"The whole team will be more under pressure this year, which is normal," admitted the Englishman. "I'm sure some people don't expect us to do well, some expect us to finish behind McLaren and Williams. But I think we will be very strong and everyone involved over the winter thinks we will be challenging Ferrari."
Team principal, Nick Fry, who takes over from David Richards, whose contract with the team was terminated following Honda's purchase of 45% of the team, was also adamant that now is the time for the team to take its first victory.
"In order to eventually win the world championship we need to take the next step and that's to win a race," he said. "If we were second again in the championship but with no wins, we would be incredibly disappointed. That would be failure.
"If we were to win a race and even potentially finish with a lower position that may well be regarded as success," he added.
To check out our pictures of the BAR 007 click here