Button Will Succeed, Says Renault Boss

Jenson Button can put a tough season behind him and bounce back as a winner, according to Renault boss Patrick Faure.

"I think Jenson did something extremely brilliant last year in the last Grands Prix, he was better than Ralf Schumacher," said the Renault motorsport director at Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix. Renault own the Benetton Formula One team and will change its name to their own next year.

"There is no reason why next year in a good car and with a good engine and real confidence in the results of the team that he can't be very successful again," added Faure.

The 21-year-old Briton has been a disappointment, in terms of results at least, at Benetton this season after an impressive debut with Williams in 2000. In that season, he became the youngest driver ever to score a point and also qualified third at Spa in his first appearance at the circuit.

On Sunday he made two storming starts in a re-started race but crashed out after his car's front wing came off and jammed the steering. His teammate, Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, finished third for the team's first podium since the 2000 Canadian Grand Prix.

The Roman, leaving the team for Jordan at the end of the season after four years at Benetton, has also outqualified Button 12 times in 14 races to date and provided eight of the team's 10 points. Button's performances have been such that there have been persistent, and as frequently denied, whispers about a possible switch to another team.

He is on loan from Williams until the end of next season while Renault also have highly-rated 20-year-old Spaniard Fernando Alonso, currently on loan to Minardi, under contract. Minardi boss Paul Stoddart said at the weekend that he was waiting for Benetton to confirm Button before he could be absolutely sure he would have Alonso for another year.

But Faure insisted Button was staying.

"Probably it was a difficult car to drive to settle everything down," he said of Button's form. "But next year I am confident in his success. We have a contract with him next year, he will be here."