JB says BAR not title contenders

As the dispute continues over whether he will drive for Williams or BAR next year, and with the Grove outfit filing its contract with the Contract Recognition Board over the weekend, Button has revealed that he believes Williams will be a more competitive prospect to work with.

"For me, I don't think BAR will be challenging for the championship," said Button. "They have a very good team but they don't have the resources of a team like Williams. I am not saying they won't be a top team but Williams have a new wind-tunnel and BAR are a few years behind that.

"I don't believe that next year will be a great year for them [BAR]. That has even been said in the press by members of the team. An F1 driver's career has to keep moving and I can't keep challenging for third and fourth places, I need to be challenging for wins."

Williams has been less competitive this year than at any other time since BMW became its engine partner in 2000. Button reckons that the team will be revitalised with a new driver line-up however (he hopes to join Australian Mark Webber in the squad).

"The drivers they [Williams] have had before they were both looking to move away," he said. "It is difficult to expect a good atmosphere after that. With two drivers in the team who really want to fight for the world championship, I think it will have a good impact. The atmosphere should be electric."

Button admits that the atmosphere in his current team BAR, has been affected by the contract row, but says he has felt let down by the way team principal David Richards has handled the whole affair: "There was a lot said after he realised that I didn't want to be there in 2005. It was over the top.

"I wish we could have talked about it before [the announcement]. I thought it was a good idea for [my manager] John (Byfield) to talk to David Richards and for me to talk to the team. But it was leaked to the press and that made the situation very difficult. But he knew that I wasn't 100 per cent happy."