Button chuffed with fourth

The 20-year-old Brit, who will probably drive for Benetton next year, was forced to start the race at the back of the grid after his car failed to fire for the start of the formation lap. But once the race was underway he picked his way through the chaos and aided by a judicious pit-stop decision by his team emerged with fourth place.

In the process he collected three points and leapt three places to eighth in the championship.

"I can't tell you how happy I am," said Button. "Especially when you think my car wouldn't start for the formation lap!

"Then the team made an excellent choice in calling me at just the right time to switch to wet tyres.

"The car was difficult to drive at that moment because it was dry out the back of the circuit and raining in the pitlane.

"I got a lot of pleasure overtaking Mika Salo for fourth two laps from the finish."

He earned lavish praise from technical director Patrick Head. "Fourth was a brilliant result for Jenson," he said. "In spite of starting at the back the guys on the wall made good strategy calls."

German engine supplier BMW finished their first Hockenheim 'home' race with two cars in the top seven as Ralf Schumacher struggled to seventh despite the handicap of a diffuser mangled by an accident with Ricardo Zonta.