Ralf: Button Should Have Stayed

The Williams team should not have let young driver Jenson Button go to Benetton next season, according to teammate Ralf Schumacher.

The German, who drives for Williams since last season, thinks his team made a mistake by replacing Button and, although there has not been official confirmation, Schumacher referred to CART star Juan Montoya as his teammate for next season.

“Button's departure is not positive for our team," Schumacher said. "It's a pity that we have to dismantle the team to make way for Montoya, because for the moment no one knows whether he is any good or not.”

Twenty-year old Button, who made his Formula One debut this season, will be leased to the Benetton team at the end of the year and will drive for the Renault owned team until 2002.

“I think we should have left intact the Schumacher-Button pairing,” added Ralf. “I don't know Montoya, but it seems unlikely that someone arriving from CART can immediately win in Formula 1. Our loss will be Benetton's gain.”

Button is in eighth place in this year’s championship and has scored ten points.