There were a number of teams in Formula One for whom 2003 was a crucial year, but for none of them was it more the case than Jaguar. After three years in which the team were so poor as to be laughable, owner Ford quite clearly and publicly took the reins in an attempt to drag Jaguar out of the morass of underachievement.
Fortunately for the future of Jaguar in F1, real progress was made.
The simple, back-to-basics car proved a solid base from which to work and with the help of Michelin tyres and the increasingly impressive Mark Webber, Jaguar became regular points scorers.
 | TEAM HISTORY Nationality: UK/USA Years in F1: 4 2003 position: 7th Drivers' titles: 0 Constructors' titles: 0 Team principal: Richard Parry-Jones |
There have been signs of the team's bad old days from time to time this season, most notably in their appalling handling of second driver Antonio Pizzonia.
After a poor start to the season, Jaguar considered replacing him - but it was not so much the idea as the team's actions in pursuing it that were so bad for his morale.
When that move collapsed, they claimed it was the end of the issue for the rest of the season.
But after Pizzonia failed to improve noticeably he was dropped and replaced by the promising former Minardi driver Justin Wilson, who subsequently proved not to be much of a step forward.
Questions still surround the future of Jaguar - after all, it hardly befits a team run by the second biggest car manufacturer in the world that they should need a pay-driver in their second car in 2004.
Nevertheless, if they can continue their progress into next season, then perhaps Jaguar have a long-term future in F1 after all.
It is a mark of how far they have come that few would have felt able to say that 12 months ago.
MMIX
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