AUGUST 9, 2003

Cut-throat times...

Mark Webber's desperate lunge at the end of the German Grand Prix was largely overlooked in the euphoria of Juan Pablo Montoya's extraordinary victory, but it was nonetheless a deeply significant event. Webber was running in ninth place and was not going to score but if he could pass BAR's Jenson Button he would be able to score one World Championship point. It was a risk that Webber and Jaguar felt was worth taking.

The reason that the team agreed to take such a risk was that the battle for fifth place in the Constructors' title is now incredibly close with BAR-Honda, Toyota, Jaguar and Jordan all being covered by four points. And Sauber is just two points behind Jordan. Every point can make a big difference because the difference between fifth and ninth in the Constructors' series is several million dollars in TV money next season

Button and Webber are fighting it out to be the top driver not in one of the big four teams and Webber's charge in recent weeks has been boosted by great reliability. The recruitment of Justin Wilson by Jaguar is seen as being an attempt to get two drivers regularly into the points.