BAR Look to Button for Leadership

Briton Jenson Button is being groomed for leadership of the BAR Formula One team after the departure of Canadian Jacques Villeneuve.

The 23-year-old, who has still to reach the Grand Prix podium after 66 starts in four seasons, has been joined by less experienced Japanese Takuma Sato as replacement for 1997 World Champion Villeneuve.

Button scored 17 of BAR's 26 points this year, helping the Honda-powered team to fifth place overall and finished fourth in Sunday's season-ending Japanese Grand Prix ahead of Sato in an encouraging sixth.

"I think for us it was the perfect way to finish the season," said BAR boss David Richards. "I think a different type of pressure is going to come on his (Button's) shoulders now, as he has to take more responsibility.

"If you think of the first few years he's had in Formula One, all the time he's been partnered by far more experienced people, and an ex-World Champion. Now the role as effectively leader of this team is quite onerous, especially for a young fellow like Jenson.

"We'll spend some time over the winter discussing it, discussing what that means because it means more than just being quick in a motor car. It means being a motivational force, it means taking leadership in other respects around the team. You are a figurehead."

Button started out at Williams alongside Ralf Schumacher, then moved to Benetton as teammate to Italian Giancarlo Fisichella. In 2002 Benetton became Renault and Italian Jarno Trulli joined him there.

His lustre has faded with younger Spaniard Fernando Alonso winning for Renault this year and 23-year-old Finn Kimi Raikkonen challenging for the title with McLaren. But Richards said Button knew what he was in for when he joined BAR this season.

"He took a decision to come with us in this team knowing that (wins and podiums) were not going to happen overnight, knowing that there was a lot of work to do and fully aware of the task," he said.

"I think the real issue for us next year is to be a challenging team to the top three. There's no getting away from the fact that there is still a significant gap to make up.

"But if we can make the performance jump that we made this year again next year then that is quite realistic and feasible."