BAR boss keeps up the pressure

Although Richards has helped steer BAR to its most successful season since entering Formula 1 in 1999, he is adamant that the outfit must lift its commitment even more if it is going to stand any chance of making further improvements next year.

"Finishing second in the constructors' championship would be the best result the team has ever had and would therefore represent a major step forward over the previous years," he said.

"If we do clinch second we just have to make sure that we use that as a platform to build from now and not allow ourselves to become complacent. Not that I believe that would happen.

"Next year's car is already well under way, and the 2005 season is not far away. I'm sure that we have achieved this year will act as a motivation for the whole team to show that if you get things right, if you put all the processes in place and you get the team focused, then anything is possible."

BAR needs to be outscored by rivals Renault by 16 points in Interlagos to lose its second place in the constructors' championship - an unlikely scenario. It effectively means Renault has to win and finish third, with BAR failing to score any points, to lose the place.

Despite the dramatic progress made by BAR over the past 12 months, however, Richards claims that it must set itself more modest targets for 2005.

"We haven't set any specific targets for next year yet, but very clearly we have to continue with the progress that we've seen this year," he added. "The quantum leap that we made this season is bound to be one of the biggest steps the team will see.

"Next year it will probably be a series of smaller steps but nonetheless now we've set ourselves high targets like this year we must ensure that we don't go backwards."