SHANGHAI, 28 September 2004 — BAR chief David Richards has expressed total confidence in the ability of Jenson Button and Takuma Sato to secure second place in this year’s constructors’ championship.

Button finished second behind Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello in Sunday’s inaugural Chinese Grand Prix with Sato sixth, extending BAR’s lead over Renault to nine points with two races left.

“I am very proud of the drivers,” Richards told Reuters. “They drove an impeccable race. They both did a terrific job.”

Button’s first Grand Prix victory eluded him again in Shanghai as the Briton settled for his fourth second place finish of the season.

Japanese teammate Sato roared home in sixth after starting from the back of the grid following an engine blowout in practice.

“Jenson drove fantastically but I’m particularly delighted with sixth for Taku from the back of the grid — perhaps his best drive to date,” said Richards.

BAR, who have not won a race since making their Formula One debut in 1999, have 105 points with Renault on 96 with only the Japanese and Brazilian Grands Prix to come.

Ferrari have 244 points thanks largely to world champion Michael Schumacher’s record-breaking season. Richards acknowledged, however, that the Honda-powered team were still in a dog fight for second place.

“We can’t afford to relax,” he said. “We need to work hard to protect the lead we have and make sure we finish the job.”

Renault hired Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, who acrimoniously left BAR in October 2003, for the final three races of the season. It has added a late twist to the season, although former world champion Villeneuve could finish only 11th in China.

Richards said Button and Sato were more than a match for Villeneuve and Renault teammate Fernando Alonso.

“I believe I’ve got the two best drivers and that we will do it,” he said. “We’ve worked very hard for this.”

Button, who stunned Richards last month by announcing he would return to Williams, celebrated into the early hours yesterday at BAR’s post-race party at a Shanghai restaurant, along with Schumacher and McLaren’s David Coulthard.

“I’m confident (BAR) can do a good job in the next two,” said Button, currently caught in a tug-of-war between Williams and BAR. “We’ve got to stay consistent, focused...and not get too excited.” Button’s future will be decided by Formula One’s contract recognition board.

Shanghai Urged to Keep F1 Affordable

Shanghai’s inaugural Grand Prix ran as smoothly as a well-oiled engine but organizers have been warned they must make the glamorous sport more affordable for it to really take hold in China. As Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and the other multi-millionaire Formula One stars packed up and left China’s wealthiest city, praise was rightly ringing in the ears of the organizers.

But while the parties and promotional events that come with the sport injected excitement into the city, very few local residents actually saw any live action.

In a country where the asking price for the cheapest ticket was getting on towards the average monthly wage, there was concern that it could become too exclusive.

Formula One merchandise in shops around the city was also expensive, with a cap embroidered with Schumacher’s signature costing 350 yuan ($42).

“Expensive affair, locals moan,” ran one headline in the Shanghai Daily yesterday. “Everybody is stealing from my wallet,” said one spectator quoted by the paper. Another complained that the event “lacks participation from fans”.

With 1.3 billion people and vast commercial potential, Formula One powerbrokers want to ensure the sport develops wide appeal in China. Max Mosely, president of the International Automobile Federation, said that while there was big potential for Formula One in China, high costs could hurt the development of motor sport in the country.

He also said the emergence of a Chinese driver was needed to capture the public’s imagination.

“Federation of Automobile Sports China, the domestic governor, should pursue various ways to make the sport inexpensive,” he told Chinese media.

“Lower the monetary threshold of those entry-level series like go-kart to make the sport more accessible.

“FASC should make that a priority and FIA will try to do its best to help them on that.”

Chinese officials recognize the need for a Chinese face in the cockpit of a Formula One car, but it appears to be a long way off even though McLaren and Williams gave Chinese drivers test drives earlier this year.