BAR Honda set to secure 2nd place

By Phil Huff (11/10/2004)
October 13 2004

Lucky Strike BAR Honda look set to take the runner up spot in the Constructors championship, with the team only requiring three points from the Brazilian Grand Prix to guarantee the position.

BAR currently stand 16 points clear of rivals Renault, with only 18 points available in the last race of the season. Renault require a minimum of a win and a third place to stand any chance of beating the Brackley based squad but, given the pace and reliability of the Ferrari this year, that looks very unlikely.


Takuma Sato passes Jacques Villeneuve's Renault at Suzuka

BAR have now scored a total of 116 points this year, against a total of 70 points between 1999 and 2003. The combination of development from Honda and BAR, and great performances from Jenson Button and Takuma Sato, have helped elevate the team, leaving them the very best out there, bar for Ferrari.

With second place almost in the bag, the team are going all out to take that elusive win at Brazil, an achievement that Renault have managed this year when Jarno Trulli took the chequered flag first at Monaco.

However, nobody is under any illusions as to the enormity of the task, with the Ferrari being at least half a second a lap quicker than the BAR under race conditions.

"It's probably not the best season to have a quick car really," says Jenson Button, "because the Ferrari seems to be outstandingly quick, so it is a little bit disappointing that we haven't got that win yet but maybe in two weeks. We are obviously going to try for that."