Faltering Jaguar aim to deliver respectability

Formula One Two new drivers, a new car and loss of the team principal puts added pressure on British icon to end years of underachievement

The wind of change is blowing through Formula One and Jaguar are content to be swept along with it. A drastically restructured organisation and new faces will endeavour to bring "respectability'' to a famous British marque that is yet to make an impact on grand prix racing.

Jaguar have changed their drivers and senior personnel since last season, a third in succession of embarrassing under-achievement following the buy-out of the Stewart team. The objective is to be more efficient and productive – and to cut down on expenditure.

The departure of Eddie Irvine alone reduces the annual bill by £6m. He and Pedro de la Rosa are replaced by Mark Webber, the Australian who made a favourable impression in his first Formula One season with Minardi, and Brazil's Antonio Pizzonia, about to make his debut at this level after testing for Williams-BMW last year.

However, the team have not appointed a team principal to take over from Nikki Lauda. Instead, they are seeking a "sporting director'' with a lower profile and much lower financial demands.

The new philosophy of a team that has also discarded Bobby Rahal is based on shared responsibility instead of the omnipotence of a leader renowned for accomplishments in a previous life. "We are going to dare to be different,'' said David Pitchforth, Jaguar's managing director.

Test and development work on this year's car, the R4, is already well ahead of its predecessor's schedule. The R3 gave the team seventh place in the constructors' championship, although that position perhaps flattered them because it was essentially due to one fortuitous result and one excellent podium finish rather than consistency.

Tony Purnell, currently fronting the Jaguar racing effort as the chief executive officer of the company's Premier Performance Division, which incorporates the Ford Cosworth engine operation, accepts improvements are imperative, yet he dismisses suggestions that the parent company would consider pulling the plug if the team flopped again this year.

He said: "The team have caused Ford embarrassment, but this is not a make or break year. If you are spending a lot of money and not getting out it what you wanted, then you've got to call it in to question. But we are no different from, say, Renault or Toyota in that regard.

"You've got to deliver value. It's important we turn into 'team promising'. They need to be proud of us. We can't have a dog of a car this year. Last year's was barking. It shouldn't have been allowed out of the factory.

"Respectability is the target for us this year. The engine is good and the car is solid. We hope to be good midfield runners. The chances are that Ferrari will disappear in the distance again, and McLaren-Mercedes and Williams-BMW will slug it out behind them.

"Then I think it will be tight between us and the others. The trouble is, no one does a bad car now. If we could get rid of the top three it would be a good championship. Some days we will be at the front of the group, others at the back. A lot will be determined by tyres. If we're part of the pack, that will be great.''

Rahal and Lauder too, talked of bringing "respectability'' to Jaguar and both were ousted, deemed failures. Purnell maintains that this time the difference is in the introduction of a proven business strategy, a determination to put in the groundwork and the elimination of bloated egos.

He said: "You don't make a bad team good in three months, but you can make a most dramatic change in six months. You look at Ferrari and they have done everything right – the structure, the organisation, as well as the best drivers.

"Our brief is to lay the foundations to eventually compete with these people. There is still a huge amount to do here. This is the tip of the iceberg. Everywhere we look we know we can make sizeable improvements.''

The choice of two inexperienced, hungry drivers reflects the fresh, forward-looking approach, even if it has obvious inherent risks. Irvine and De la Rosa had little time for one another and the team complained they suffered through a lack of communication and feedback.

Purnell said pointedly: "We are lucky that we've got two drivers who work for the team, giving the guys a fair degree of respect and not undermining them in any way. I certainly wouldn't approve of the team working for the drivers.''

Webber, 26, marked his Formula One debut with an improbable fifth place for Minardi in his home grand prix last year, and returns to Melbourne for this season's opening race, a fortnight on Sunday, convinced his career is on an upward curve.

He said: "I came here because I clearly couldn't stay at Minardi, Jaguar were keen on my services, which was nice, and I like the challenge. I hope that in 24 months we can say we turned it around and it was a job well done.''

Pizzonia has attracted much attention as "the jungle boy from the Amazon'' but is confident he will become better known for his exploits on the Formula One track. The 22-year-old demonstrated his pace by setting a lap record in testing at Valencia last week.

He said: "Last year was good experience for me, testing with Williams, and now I feel very comfortable here. The team is really good, we all work well together, and I am sure I am ready for Formula One.''