Coulthard Plays Down Button Challenge

Scot David Coulthard played down Jenson Button's challenge in this year's Championship and has insisted that the Renault driver cannot be considered a serious threat yet.

Renault's Button has been impressive this season and finished ahead of McLaren driver Coulthard in the San Marino Grand Prix on merit as the pair claimed fifth and sixth respectively.

The 22-year-old then claimed he is ready to become top-Brit this year, but Coulthard, 31, responded by dismissing the threat of his young rival.

"They beat us but they were not that close to us in qualifying and they have only done it in one race out of four," Coulthard said of Button's Renault team. "I don't know if you can call that serious competition.

"I am not trying to belittle their performance because maybe during the course of the next 13 races they will be stronger than us. But one swallow does not make a summer. Credit where it's due. Jenson drove a good race, but I believe he had a quicker car otherwise I would be in the wrong business."

Coulthard also admitted that McLaren stand little hope of turning around their disastrous season start and conceded that Ferrari and Michael Schumacher could dominate the Championship this year.

"There is no reason to expect Ferrari will be any weaker than this at any particular race unless Bridgestone struggle with the tyres," Coulthard added. "It's pretty grim news. But there is no point burying your head in the sand. We have got to face reality and keep working."