Button Rules Out BAR Win in 2005

The Brackley-based team had come into the season with the sole aim of taking their first win after their brilliant run to finish second in the Constructors' Championship last year.

But after the disastrous first half of the campaign, and the obvious pace of McLaren and Renault at the front, Button believes that the team will not achieve their number one target now.

"I don't think it will happen this year," said Button about the prospects of a maiden victory. "We are so far behind. Eight tenths of a second per lap is a lot.

"There will be circuits where we will be closer, and where the aerodynamics are not so important like at Monza, where we will have more of a chance, but we just don't have a good enough car this year.

"BAR and Honda, as we have seen in the past, have always improved the car throughout the year. But you do need to have a good base at the beginning."

Button claims that BAR may have been caught out by the new regulations introduced this year that drastically reduced downforce levels.

"I think some of it is down to the new regulations and the changes, that maybe we got a little lost. Look at Ferrari and how much they have lost. They've gone backwards more than we have.

"That would have surprised me if we were still strong, but in seeing the two leading teams of last year drop back, it shows how much the regulations have changed things."

Button claims he has only realised his BAR's team plight in the last few races now that the team has finally managed to start finishing them.

"We are not where I want us to be. We are not competitive enough, so in a way it's nice to get points, but it's also a little bit frustrating because we are not as quick as we would like to be.

"For most of the season we have not known where we stood because of the reliability problems at the start, and then the disqualification. Now that we know where we are we realise we've a long way to go in terms of being closer to the McLarens and Renaults."

Despite his pessimism about a victory this season, however, Button believes that a podium finish may still be possible.

"My goal is to keep improving throughout the year and to get closer to the Renaults and the McLarens, and if they slip then maybe we can grab a podium," he explained.

"But it's not so much looking at the overall outcome of 2005, that doesn't interest me so much, although it does to the team. To finish fifth in the championship would be great, although we need a lot of work for that.

"If we take each race as it comes and get the best result we can, then we will finish fifth anyway, so there's no use having a goal at the end of the year."