Button not under pressure

Jenson Button is looking forward to a positive year with BAR and said he is not feeling under pressure. Button, who had his first outing behind the wheel for his new team during testing in December, believes he can progress in 2003 and the move to ...

Jenson Button is looking forward to a positive year with BAR and said he is not feeling under pressure. Button, who had his first outing behind the wheel for his new team during testing in December, believes he can progress in 2003 and the move to BAR is the best in his career. After a season of mixed fortunes with Renault in 2002, the young Englishman is determined to make a big step forward.

Jenson Button.

Photo by Honda F1 Press Office.

"I'm not feeling the pressure," he told Autosport. "I think this is going to be a positive year and BAR is definitely going to make a step forward in position. Everyone has put the hard times behind them and are all pushing hard now. The momentum is very much here. When you arrive at a new team you have to push forward that extra bit, and I'm sure I can move up another level. This move is the most exciting for me in my career."

Although under long-term contract to Williams, Button was passed over for this season as the team decided to continue with Juan Pablo Montoya. He was also disappointed to have been dropped by Renault in favour of Fernando Alonso but there was no shortage of teams hoping to secure his services for 2003. BAR was the one who inked the deal and team principal David Richards believes his new driver is a future champion.

Button has equal faith in his new boss, saying: "I trust David Richards and the people he has around him -- he's built winning teams before and I feel this is the best place to be."