Panis: Gizmos won't bring us closer

The Frenchman admits BAR are happy with the development of driver 'gizmos', such as traction control and launch control, but claims there is still work to do to make the systems better.

"We tested out the new system last week and we made a good job of it," said Panis, who finished fourth fastest after Friday practice. "The car is getting better, but that does not mean we are going to close the gap on the top teams yet.

"The balance is good and generally we are very happy with it, but there are still a lot of changes to be made. This weekend I think we can finish in the top six to 10. If we finish higher, that would be nice, but I am not sure that we can do that."

Panis added that the rivalry between himself and his team mate Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion, has also spurred his performance on this season.

Panis has out-raced and out-qualified Villeneuve at the last two races.

He added: "We work very well together. He pushes me and I push him and I think that is good for the team because it makes us more competitive."