Preview: Schumacher Wary of BAR in Barcelona

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher sees Briton Jenson Button as the biggest threat to his hopes of a perfect fifth win in a row on Sunday.

The six times World Champion is gunning for his fourth successive Spanish Grand Prix victory to add his name to another Formula One record by equalling Briton Nigel Mansell's best ever start to a season in 1992.

But Barcelona could be BAR's best chance yet of ending Ferrari's domination after emerging as their main challengers at the last San Marino Grand Prix.

"We would like to continue our series of victories at Barcelona, even if things are becoming more difficult," said Schumacher. "Spain will be the hardest test so far and, as I said at Imola, I expect BAR-Honda to perform well.

"They did well during winter testing and in the last round of tests at Barcelona and it wouldn't surprise me if they showed this form again this weekend. I am tempted to say that they are among the favourites but Renault are up there too."

Button will have his work cut out but after three successive podiums, including a second place at Imola, the 24-year-old has become a serious contender for a breakthrough first win for himself and his team.

BAR secured their first podium in Barcelona with Canadian Jacques Villeneuve in 2001 and the team did more than 8,500 km of testing there before the season with impressive times.

"We should be very competitive in Spain and, hopefully, even closer to the red cars," said Button, who beat Schumacher to pole position at the last race.

Button is third overall in the Championship, a point behind Schumacher's Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello.

Awesome Record

Schumacher remains the favourite however. The German's record in Spain is simply awesome and nobody has beaten Ferrari since last August. The champion has won there five times in all, including the last three years. He has started on pole position for the last four and scored points in every one of his 13 starts.

Ferrari have shown this season, with two dominant one-two finishes in four races, that they are in a class of their own once they hit the front. But if Schumacher were to be held up behind another car at the start, as he almost was at Imola when he clashed with Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams on the first lap, it could be a different story.

Renault's local favourite Fernando Alonso, whose win in Hungary last year remains the last by a team other than Ferrari, will help to pack in the crowds after finishing second in Spain in 2003.

But Alonso and teammate Jarno Trulli have been complaining about the driveability of their car and have suffered in qualifying. Barcelona is a circuit that is so familiar to all teams and drivers from regular testing that it rarely produces an electrifying battle.

Williams have gone well there in the past, with Montoya second in 2001 and 2002, but the Colombian has been increasingly critical of his car's pace.

"Although we regularly run at Barcelona I wouldn't consider it one of my favourite circuits as it doesn't really suit my driving style," he said.

McLaren, reeling from their worst start to a season since 1983 with just five points, are the last team to have beaten Ferrari in Barcelona but will want to forget last year's race.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen started from the back of the grid and crashed seconds after the lights went out. Teammate David Coulthard, marking a decade in Formula One on Sunday, also failed to finish.