BAR make Button the man with golden gun

The name is Button, Jenson Button, and yesterday Britain's leading F1 driver got his 007 licence as BAR Honda showed off the car they believe will earn him his first Grand Prix victory and give him a crack at the world championship title.

The name is Button, Jenson Button, and yesterday Britain's leading F1 driver got his 007 licence as BAR Honda showed off the car they believe will earn him his first Grand Prix victory and give him a crack at the world championship title.

BAR Honda had their best-ever season in 2004, finishing behind only Ferrari with 119 points, boosting Button to third place overall behind Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. Now they believe they are ready to win. The new BAR 007 differs in every area from last year's 006 as the technical team led by Englishman Geoffrey Willis have sought detail improvement throughout while honing the design to accommodate revised regulations which have reduced downforce.

After trying his new car, an optimistic Button said: "This year will be a very important to prove that 2004 wasn't a one-off. We need to show that we are consistent and again can challenge McLaren and Ferrari for podium places.

"The car has shown good reliability, as has the engine, which is very important with the new regulations. I am hoping - as are the team - that our first win is just around the corner."