MAY 18, 2001
Rahal targets Honda runners
JAGUAR RACING boss Bobby Rahal is expecting his team's new aerodynamic improvements to move them up into a challenging position with two Honda-engined rivals.
The modifications to the car made their testing debut in Valencia this week, and Rahal thinks that they are what is needed to put the team in a position to move up the grid and score points.
"We are going to push," said a determined Rahal. "Will it get us to the front of the grid this year? No. But if we can find a second then that is a whole lot of time.
"That puts us in fighting for points with BAR and Jordan and Sauber and others. That is a realistic goal for us."
"There will be an improvement in Monaco and there are more improvements coming," he continued. "It takes time but I am quite pleased our attitude is to push and push and push even though it took a year to get the house in order.
"I think people are tending to forget what my ambition was, or they didn't take it seriously, to this year to get our house in order."
Eddie Irvine achieved the highest finish for the team so far this term with seventh place in Austria and he is said to be delighted with the aerodynamic improvements made to the cars in Valencia this week.