LONDON, 25 June 2003 — Briton Jenson Button says he will need a stroke of luck to get the first podium finish of his Formula One career this season. “To be honest, it would need a bit of luck,” the BAR driver, who finished fourth in Austria in May, told the team’s website yesterday.
“The Ferraris, McLarens, Williams and even the Renaults are strong so it will be tough. However, if you look at Austria we deserved to be where we were, so there is still a possibility but it’s getting more and more difficult as more cars are becoming more reliable.” Button missed this month’s Monaco Grand Prix after crashing heavily in practice the day before and retired two weeks’ ago in Canada, team mate Jacques Villeneuve’s home race.
“With the exception of Montreal, the car seems to be getting better with every race,” said Button. “We have good steps on the aerodynamics and also on the engine from Honda.”
Button said Sunday’s European Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring, where he finished fifth for Renault last year, should prove more positive than Canada. “I’m confident it (the car) should work everywhere from now onwards, more so with the changes we have planned for the next few races,” said the 23-year-old.
In a separate interview, BAR technical director Geoff Willis said that the team would follow Ferrari’s example and start next season with a hybrid version of their 2003 car rather than an all-new one.
