Benetton Hope to Bow Out in the Points

Benetton are hoping for a points-scoring finale to their Formula One story in Japan this weekend.

The season-ending race is the team's last under the name that brought them the 1995 Constructors' Championship. They change their name to Renault next season. Technical director Mike Gascoyne said the team was confident of a strong result.

"Given the car's recent improvements, we are disappointed not to have scored any points since Spa (on September 2)," Gascoyne said. "But with the help of a new qualifying spec engine, we will look to transform this upturn in form into a points-scoring finish at the weekend.

"It has been a long and difficult season but in some respects, we are almost disappointed to see it end just as we are producing a competitive package."

Benetton, with a radical and troublesome new Renault engine, spent most of the early part of the season fending off the Minardis in qualifying. But they came good at Spa where Italian Giancarlo Fisichella finished a strong third.