Button Earns Praise after Malaysian Performance

Briton Jenson Button proved a point against feuding Formula One teammate Jacques Villeneuve at the weekend and earned praise from former employers Renault into the bargain.

He finished seventh in Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix to score BAR's first points of the year while former champion Villeneuve never made it to the start after breaking down on the parade lap.

After tit-for-tat insults last week, with Villeneuve branding the Briton weak and back-stabbing and Button calling the Canadian pathetic, the 23-year-old did his talking on the track.

"It would have been great to finish fifth but I don't think the tyres have really helped us this weekend," said Button, who lost two places on the final lap. Button said he had put the spat completely out of his mind: "I had more important things to think about, especially on the last lap".

Renault's 21-year-old Fernando Alonso finished third in the race, with Italian teammate Jarno Trulli fifth after taking a place from Button at the finish. The team's technical director Mike Gascoyne said he felt fully justified in the decision to drop Button for the Spaniard last year.

"We made a choice between them (Button and Alonso) and I think we were right," he said. "But Jenson has had a great weekend against Jacques, all credit to him. He defended his position.

"I'm glad we got him on the line but shame for him because in what looked to be a difficult car he defended his position fairly and very well. Really he's dominated Villeneuve all weekend. I worried for him. In terms of talent and race pace he deserves to be in this pitlane but I worried about how he'd get on against Villeneuve.

"I have to say I'm impressed with the way he's done it this weekend because after what happened in Melbourne, he's done all his talking on the track."

The simmering feud erupted in Melbourne when Villeneuve pitted on Button's lap, keeping the Briton waiting and wrecking his race. Villeneuve blamed a radio problem but Button was unconvinced by the details and said so in print.

Gascoyne said he had thought Button might struggle in the new one lap qualifying, but the Briton outqualified Villeneuve as well, and agreed Renault may even have done the Briton a favour in dropping him.

"If he continues to do that he's going to have a secure future for himself and quite rightly," he said.