BAR Plan to Launch New Car in December

British American Racing boss David Richards said on Monday that the team will launch their all-new 2003 machine and a dramatic change of image to the team on December 20 this year.

Richards, who announced Briton Jenson Button as partner to either Jacques Villeneuve or Olivier Panis at the Honda-powered team for next year, is developing plans to change the team for the better.

And, although he would not reveal details of the image change, he insisted the 'cool' style currently employed will remain but will take on a new, more professional angle.

"In the latter part of this year we will roll out our new identity and you will see a very different BAR," said Richards. "There will be a total image shift. Already, behind the scenes, I have seen some of that in the way we approach things.

"Some of the current ingredients are appropriate for the brand but in the next few months we will start from inside the company, with the roll-out of the expectations and cultural values of the business.

"Then it will unfold as the latter part of the year goes on ready for the launch at the end of the season. We are aiming for December 20 as of now. It's very early days, but that is the intention today."

Richards would not comment on strong rumours that BAR will be the sole Honda team in 2003, but that could point towards the reasons for an image shift as links between the British team and their Japanese engine supplier strengthen.

The team chief, who joined in January, said that despite the disappointments from Honda so far this season, he has "a very clear agreement for the future" with them which has encouraged him to place them at the centre of his plans.

There have, by Richards' own admission, been some "radical changes" at BAR this year, but he is not prepared to set high targets, or to even reveal the clearly structured system of internal aims he has set his staff.

"It is like building up an athlete for the Olympics in four years' time," Richards said. "You don't have to start by sprinting, you start by getting all the training, getting everything right and getting all the ingredients in place.

"Then, when you come to the Olympics in four years time, you are on form, you have got everything right and it really works. The important thing for me is to find a long-term solution for this team, and we want to be regularly scoring points next season."