Williams Boosts Button's Morale

Jenson Button's confidence has received a boost after his former team boss Frank Williams claimed that the Briton only needs time before he can be a great driver despite a disappointing second season in Formula One.

21-year old Button made his Grand Prix debut last year with Williams, impressing with his maturity and becoming the youngest ever point-scorer, before moving to the Benetton team in 2001, where he has struggled to match his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella's pace.

However, Button, who is on a two-year loan to Benetton, has the talent to succeed in Formula One and he only needs time before he can do it, according to Williams.

"Jenson has a fundamental talent of being very solid and gifted," Williams told the Daily Mail. "He is still on course to be a great driver after the Michael Schumacher era. I promise you that.

"Jenson is having a tough time but people forget these modern cars are so complicated. You have to know what to do and what not to do. Jenson is still young and relatively inexperienced. He doesn't know all the tricks but he'd beginning to understand how tough it is and will apply his mind more and more.

"He just needs time," he added. "He's had to play catch-up on Fisichella, who's been with the team for some time. The Benetton has not been competitive enough to enable Jenson to run near the front. But, like him, it has the potential to do so."

Former World Champion and current British American Racing driver Jacques Villeneuve admitted that Button's demise at Benetton has left him worried, and added he needs to get his act together again

"He's seemed to have a hard time to carry the car when it was difficult," said Villeneuve, who scored BAR's only podium in three years in Spain.

"When the car is good he is more than capable, he can do the job and I think it would be very good to see him go quick again. It was a little bit worrying, because last year he was outstanding against Ralf (Schumacher, his then teammate), and he needs to get his act together again."