Richards: BAR Exceeded Expectations

BAR-Honda team principal David Richards has said that the team have exceeded all expectations this season as they prepare to land the 'best of the rest' accolade.

Briton Jenson Button finished third in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix and his teammate Takuma Sato backed him up with a solid fourth to hand the team another 11 points and take their tally to 116 for the season.

BAR need to score only three points to ensure they finish in second place in the Constructors' Championship behind Ferrari and Richards said the success has been beyond his own expectations.

"To keep building the gap the way we have is good and the great thing is the team has improved all year," said Richards. "We have not sat back. We had a slight lull in the middle but generally we have improved all the time.

"We have certainly exceeded our expectations but at the same time, without wishing to sound arrogant about it, we have deserved it."

BAR have made a dramatic step up from fifth place in the Constructors' Championship last year to the point where they have actually challenged the dominant Ferrari team in some races this season.

Button has claimed ten podiums and already has third place in the drivers' standings in the bag behind Ferrari's dominant duo Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.