Button Could be Driver of the Decade, Says Williams

Team owner Frank Williams believes Briton Jenson Button could become the Formula One driver of the decade.

"I think Jenson could be the man of this decade, once Michael (Schumacher) hangs up his hat," Williams said in an interview with Autosport.

"Mind you, there are one or two others, too, who might do that including JPM (Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya)".

Button, 20, enjoyed a highly impressive debut season with Williams this year and became the youngest driver to score points in a Grand Prix.

But the Briton has made way for 1999 CART champion Montoya and is joining Benetton in 2001, although Williams have the right to recall him in 2003.

Williams said Button was "always in total control of himself, in the car and out of it. Super-calm."

Only time would tell whether he had made a mistake in replacing Button with Montoya, Williams said.

"Juan Pablo may match up to Jenson -- may be better, may not be as good. Whatever happens, I won't lose any sleep over it -- I've made plenty of mistakes in my time. Tell you what though, I don't think Juan Pablo will be a mistake."

Button told the Sunday Times newspaper last weekend Benetton would offer him a real chance "to show Frank he was wrong."

"In my heart I think Frank Williams has made a mistake," the Briton said. "We've had a great year and I wish things could have worked out differently."

Williams also said Ralf Schumacher, who partnered Button last season and is staying with the team, "had a few more bad days than he ought to have had" in 2000 but had rarely disappointed in races.