JANUARY 10, 2001

Burti looking to match Irvine, but not hopeful

BRAZILIAN Luciano Burti wants to match the performance of Jaguar team-mate Eddie Irvine, but is not confident of achieving his goals.

Burti is targeting points finishes in his debut season in Formula One but fears his dream of emulating Irvine will be shattered because he feels the British driver can get Jaguar onto the podium.\\

"If I can match Eddie then I will be very happy," Burti said, at the launch of the team's R2 chassis at their Coventry headquarters. "My personal target is to finish in the points and I feel Eddie will do better than that."

Burti, a close friend of Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello, was Jaguar's test driver last season but was handed his chance after Briton Johnny Herbert opted to quit Formula One in favour of a move to America's Champ Car series.

Now the 25-year-old driver, who stood in for an ill Irvine in the Austrian Grand Prix last season, is ready to grasp his chance with both hands as he bids to join a long list of successful Brazilians in the sport.

"This will be my first season in Formula One but I am ready for it," he said. "It is an honour to be driving for the Jaguar team.

"I know the car well after testing it all of last year and that will be a big help to me. We've made some changes to it and that will help me. I'm sure I can be good for the team and Formula One."

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