Button: New points could confuse fans

Jenson Button thinks the new Formula 1 scoring system has the potential to confuse the public, but accepts the reasoning behind it

From 2009 the driver with the most race victories will be crowned champion, with the traditional points system only used to decide tie-breaks and lesser placings.

Button is concerned that it will be difficult to explain the new method to casual fans - and that it could lead to titles being decided earlier.

"I think the public will struggle to understand why a driver with 60 points can become champion instead of the one who has 100," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I understand the logic behind it and I find it interesting.

"For sure it's an incentive to always go for the win, but it seems risky too - after nine races, we could find ourselves with a driver that has already won the title and can stand still eating ice cream, while the guy in second in the standings is just 18 points behind."

Bernie Ecclestone, whose Formula One Management organisation came up with the new system, said earlier today that he felt Button could benefit from it given Brawn GP's impressive testing pace.

"If Brawn has got it right, then there is a chance that for the first three races we could maybe see Jenson winning," said Ecclestone.

"Now that it is not points that decides the championship, if he has three races in his pocket then it is not bad - although I suppose in the end you have to look at the old timers like [Fernando] Alonso, Kimi [Raikkonen], Felipe [Massa] and Mr [Lewis] Hamilton."