Pressure Not a Problem, Says Button

Briton Jenson Button says pressure will be no problem despite Ferrari's Michael Schumacher tipping him as a potential winner of Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.

"I don't feel under pressure to perform, from outside," the on-form BAR driver told a news conference at the Circuit de Catalunya on Thursday. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform and I seem to work okay under pressure, under personal pressure anyway.

"Outside pressure is not a problem, it's personal pressure that is the tough one."

BAR and Button, still only 24 but now in his fifth season in Formula One, have been the revelations of the season. The Briton is third in the Championship and has grown in confidence since taking over as team leader following the departure last year of Canadian Jacques Villeneuve.

He is now reaping the rewards.

While six-times World Champion Schumacher has romped to four wins in a row, Button has racked up three podiums in succession and started the last San Marino Grand Prix on pole position. His second place was his and BAR's best result yet.

"Hopefully I am going to win - it's just how long (it takes) really," he said. "I think our Imola result was very good but we weren't jumping with joy, as you might have noticed.

"I was very happy with the result, standing up on the second step of the podium is great, but looking up at Michael...that's where we want to be and hopefully it's not going to take too long for us to get there."

Looking Strong

Button said BAR were looking strong in Barcelona after being pacesetters in testing during the close season.

"Hopefully we've made some good ground compared to Ferrari over the last two weeks," he said.

"It's nice to hear Michael and other people from Ferrari saying that they're slightly worried coming to this race, or looking at us knowing that we're going to have a good result here. It's nice to hear that."

BAR boss David Richards said he was confident the Honda-powered team could become consistent challengers.

"You talk about pressure," he said. "I always think that you experience pressure when you believe it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"And I personally believe that Jenson and BAR will have many opportunities like this in front of it over the coming years, so I think we just have to take it as another step in the right direction."

Richards said flattery, with rivals queuing up to compliment BAR, could also be dangerous.

"Michael's incredibly strong. There isn't a circuit in the world that he can't go to with total confidence that he's the man to beat," he said.

"You can let this flattery go to your head and you can slow down your pace and be caught off guard. We're working as hard as we ever have done and we will not let up from now to the last race of the season in Brazil."