Button: I want wins

Button is entering his fifth season in F1 next season, his second with the BAR team. Speaking exclusively to AUTOSPORT, he claims he is in the best shape yet to win races in 2004.

"Maybe I'm going to be one of those drivers whose first time on the podium will be on the top step," Button told AUTOSPORT. "We'll have to wait and see. I feel I've been a bit unlucky in that regard. People say you make your own luck, but the problems I've had not getting on the podium haven't been down to me.

"The only good thing is when I do eventually get a podium it's going to be an amazing feeling! It's going to be pretty special. But I don't want to just get one podium or win next year, the big thing next year is that we need to be consistent. If you look at 2003, nobody was really that consistent. That's our big aim for 2004."

Button also said he was sorry to see Jacques Villeneuve leave the team, despite their much-publicised spat at the start of the season. He believes F1 has lost one of its more colourful characters.

"I was disappointed at Suzuka to not see Jacques there," said Button. "I think we had a good year together and I think we were very competitive team-mates. We worked very well together, and he had a lot of input into the team.

"The problem is that with the teams he wants to be with, there's no seats. That's his biggest problem. He is a great driver, and he's done some fantastic things in F1. It's a shame to see him leaving F1, more than anything else."

Button has recently returned from a trip to both the Chinese and Bahrain GP venues.

He said: "Both look like good circuits for racing, with lots of overtaking places. It was great to be the first driver to go to both venues, I hope it gives me a head start for when we go there for real."