Rahal Wants F1 Respect for Jaguar

Jaguar boss Bobby Rahal has a favourite saying that he repeated regularly at the launch of the R2 Formula One car on Tuesday.

"Don't confuse effort with results," cautioned the Jaguar Racing principal.

Last year, Jaguar embarked on a debut grand prix season with a fanfare and a showbiz style launch party at the august Lord's cricket ground in central London -- a venue that emphasised the team's "Englishness".

The team put much of their efforts into publicity and promotion, raising public expectations accordingly to an unrealistic level. Race results were then conspicuous by their absence.

Jaguar finished ninth overall, with only the pointless Minardi and Prost teams behind them.

This year, with a meagre four points in the bag and American Rahal drafted in to put things right, the Ford-owned team turned down the hype and summoned the world's media to their engineering centre.

A couple of rows of plastic seats and a green tarpaulin-covered car on a stage beyond a hospitality area formed the centrepiece to a straightforward presentation in the factory on the outskirts of Coventry.

Jaguar were the fastest team to unveil their new car but the team were not about to pretend that they would be leaders on the track as well.

Despite the marque's glorious pedigree in motor sport, mainly at the Le Mans sportscar race, Rahal said Jaguar will be seeking "respectability" in 2001.

Respectability

"We're going to let our results speak for us," said Rahal. "This is maybe not the most glamorous place in the world but this is where it all happens.

"There were unreal expectations last year and, whether they were promoted from within or expected from without, when you do that you'd better deliver.

"If you don't, God help you. And, of course, they didn't deliver. So being here today is just a recognition of our understanding of the challenge."

Rahal, a three times CART champion who has run his own teams in the United States, competed in two Formula One Grands Prix with Wolf in 1978.

He did not win any points then but is determined to be a Formula One winner with Jaguar eventually.

"Our aim this year is to achieve respectability and to continue to put in place the building blocks that we believe will deliver success in the long term," said Rahal.

"I want it so that by the end of the year we are able to walk down the pitlane -- and the mechanics and the drivers and the people in our workshop and Jaguar fans all around the world -- with our heads held high.

Rahal admitted candidly that he did "not think for a second that we're going to feature for wins.

"But if we progress, if we create the systems and the foundations from which to go, then in the future we will figure for wins," he said.

"But we've got to get back to basics in essence and that's the way I look at this year.

"It's wonderful to be a part of a tremendous racing history and tradition. But if you don't deliver it really cuts quickly too. Our obligation is to live up to that history and that's what we intend to do."

Rahal said Jaguar saw Benetton, BAR and Jordan as their main rivals in a mid-field group behind champions Ferrari, McLaren and third-placed Williams.

He said the new car, unveiled by British driver Eddie Irvine and Brazilian Luciano Burti, should be a substantial improvement on the disappointing R1.

"We believe the new R2 will offer enhanced performance and reliability over its predecessor."