Villeneuve:'Watch out -- I'm coming through!'

The hard-charging Canadian has said he will make no concessions for the fact that they are battling for the world title when it comes for fighting for position at the first chicane.

Villeneuve starts fourth - his best grid position since he signed for BAR at the start of last year - right in the middle of the action. And bookies Ladbrokes have slashed his odds from 80-1 to 16-1 for the win.

Hakkinen lines up alongside him, Schumacher a row ahead and Coulthard just behind him.

The strength of the new Honda V10 means his chances of winning this race cannot be totally ignored - after all Heinz-Harald Frentzen won this race last year powered by a Mugen-Honda.

Asked if he would be making allowances for the fact that Schumacher, on pole, Hakkinen third and Coulthard fifth are fighting for the championship he replied: "Why should I?"

"Did they make any concessions for me in the first race of the season?"

A rival team manager said: "If I was him I'd go charging in there because he has not got a lot to lose but everyone else around him has."