Button wants Schuey as team mate

Speaking to hordes of fans at the British Motor Show, Benetton-bound Button, who finished eighth in the drivers' world championship in his debut F1 season with Williams, said Schumacher is the man he has to beat.

"I would love to be Michael Schumacher's team-mate," he said. "Michael is the best driver in the world and partnering him would push me even more. Hopefully in the near future I will partner him, you never know. I hope he's still about when I'm able to be on the level to win the championship because he's the main person I really want to beat."

Button has enjoyed an auspicious debut year, which yielded a season-best fourth place at the German Grand Prix, but despite impressing team boss Frank Williams and technical director Patrick Head, the 20-year-old is switching to Benetton for 2001 to make way for Juan Pablo Montoya.

The chances of Button partnering Schumacher are slim as the German's contract with Ferrari expires at the end of 2002, at which point the 31-year-old is widely tipped to retire. Button also remains under contract to Williams during his two years at Benetton and is set to return to Sir Frank's team in 2003.

"I'm looking forward to next year with Benetton," said Button. "Hopefully I will come back to Williams a much better driver technically."

Button will get his first run with Benetton during the first official F1 test at the beginning of December, after the November testing ban ends. The young Brit is scheduled to go head-to-head with Montoya in a Williams at Jerez on 5 December.