Feature: Button Hopes to Raise BAR's Spirits

Jenson Button may enjoy the party of his life on Sunday if he can clamber on to the Formula One podium for the first time in his career at Silverstone.

"There could be a mega party if I get a podium," said the 23-year-old. "But I might just disappear as quick as I can and head down to London if it's a good race, but we will see. Hopefully it will be."

Any celebrating Button may get up to will be more than matched by BAR teammate Jacques Villeneuve if the Canadian, who won at Silverstone for Williams in 1996 and 1997, can pull out a good result.

Villeneuve's contract runs out at the end of the season and the signs are that he could find he has nowhere to go. He needs to remind key people that he still has what it takes.

Britain marked a watershed for both BAR and Villeneuve last year, bringing him and the team their first points of a troubled season, and this year the 1997 Champion needs a similar boost after just one scoring finish in 10 races.

"I know what a great feeling it is to do well in your team's home race," he said. "2003 has been a tough season so far so it would be nice to get a good result for the team. I enjoy racing at Silverstone...so I am optimistic and really looking forward to it."

Home Start

Button has provided 10 of the team's 13 points this season, a source of some satisfaction to the Briton, after he and Villeneuve started the season barely on speaking terms. But he still has plenty to prove.

A British Grand Prix veteran already, despite his comparatively tender age, Button will be making his fourth home appearance.

He has a long-term contract but has yet to break into the top three in 60 races while more recent debutants, such as McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso, have been there repeatedly.

Raikkonen, also 23, is a winner already while 21-year-old Spaniard Alonso has started from pole and chased Ferrari's Michael Schumacher to second place.

BAR team boss David Richards speaks of Button as a future Champion and likely race winner next year, something the Briton also believes is possible. But he knows he needs a podium finish to justify being spoken of in the same breath as the other 'young lions' and that is not going to be easy at Silverstone.

"It will be very tough, but there is still a possibility if there are failures or accidents or stuff," he said. "It's what we are aiming for but I don't think it is going to happen.

"I think we are a little bit behind on the tyre side at the moment, compared to the Michelins, but if we've got a good tyre there I think it will be a possibility. The car's good, the reliability is a lot better than it has been in the past."

"I think next year we are going to be competitive," added Button, whose last race in France ended in anti-climax when he ran out of fuel. "We might have chances of winning races though we won't be winning the World Championship. But it will be a good step in the right direction and you never know - 2005 or 2006 could be very exciting for us."

Dream Debut

Button made a dream home debut three years ago with Williams, joining the front-running team as a 20-year-old and taking six points scoring finishes that season. He was fourth in Germany that year, a career best matched twice in 2002 with Renault - when his star was in danger of waning, and once so far this season with BAR in Austria.

"It would be a fantastic feeling in front of the home crowd," he said of the prospect of a podium. "I remember finishing fifth there in 2000 when DC (David Coulthard) won and coming to the finish at the last complex bit and everyone was cheering."

Coulthard will be Button's neighbour for the weekend, the BAR driver having taken over retired Finnish driver Mika Salo's motorhome and will park up alongside his compatriot and Villeneuve.

He and the Canadian are getting along better now, but the 1997 Champion is still unlikely to pop round for a beer in the evening.

"We don't spend that much time together," said Button. "But it's good to have a teammate like Jacques who is experienced and has done so much in his career.

"It's a nice feeling when you beat him on the track."