Richards Plays Down Villeneuve/Button Discord

BAR Team boss David Richards has played down any potential discord between his two drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button.

Canadian Villeneuve warned new BAR teammate Button that he had yet to earn his respect as a Formula One driver. The 1997 World Champion told reporters at the launch of the new 005 car in Barcelona that the young Briton needed to raise his game and prove his mental resilience.

"You've seen successful teams come out of great relationships between drivers and difficult relationships. I don't necessarily believe that either is the perfect solution," said Richards today.

"I would prefer it if it were an amicable relationship, we all work positively together and that would be my goal, but if it doesn't work that way and we've got to manage a bit of friction then I've done that before.

"I remember the years with Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae, and they were fairly fraught." said world rally boss Richards, whose Prodrive company also runs the Subaru world rally team. "But we ended up with one-two in the World Championship and the manufacturers' title."

The body language between the two drivers at the launch provided an early indication of the state of their relations, with Button clearly the main focus as he drove the new car onto the stage and dominated a video presentation.

When they left the stage, Villeneuve walked away while Button stayed and chatted with test drivers Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson. A BAR insider said the two had barely talked to each other since Button, 23 next week, arrived at a team that has yet to win a race in four years and where Villeneuve has been the main focus until now.

Asked later whether he thought Button was the right man for the team, Villeneuve replied: "If he steps up from his first three years, yes. If not, no."

Button remained calm and confident and said he expected to work well with the Canadian to help the team progress, even if inevitably there would be times when they did not get along.

"I want to do the best job I can on the circuit," he said. "If outside the circuit we don't talk, it's not a big thing for me. We all have our own friends."