Villeneuve Behaviour 'Pathetic', Says Button

Jenson Button dismissed BAR teammate Jacques Villeneuve as pathetic today to add venom to their Formula One feud.

Button was speaking a day after Villeneuve branded him a weak under-achiever for his criticism following the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

"I haven't said so much. I've just said the truth," said the 23-year-old Briton, who had made his feelings known after Villeneuve blamed a radio breakdown for pitting in Melbourne on the same lap as his BAR teammate.

"He's always been outspoken about drivers but I don't think so many have answered back ... the things he said, it's just pathetic."

Button was forced to sit and wait in the Australian race, a delay that ended any hopes he had of a good finish. He later cast doubt on the Canadian former World Champion's excuse.

The two men are barely on talking terms socially and team insiders said that a meeting between them to clear the air on Thursday lasted less than a minute.

"I've got no problem with it (the feud). I think it's quite funny to read and to watch really, because it's happened so many times before," said Button after the first qualifying session for Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

"But it's Jacques, it's the way he is. And he's always been very outspoken and I think he thinks that's the way to go racing. But it's got nothing to do with racing at all and there's no reason for it in any way.

"There's no reason to be horrible to someone if there's no reason to be. Some people think you have to be for whatever reason, I don't know why ... I don't think anyone can really understand him.

"It just proves to me that he's the way he is. I always thought he was a very difficult teammate to work with and I think he's been that."

Team Focus

Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion with Williams, has been at under-performing BAR since the tobacco-funded team was founded by his manager Craig Pollock in 1999. The Canadian was used to being the focus of the team but that has changed since Pollock's departure and Button's arrival this season under team principal David Richards.

Button has a long-term contract while Villeneuve, one of the highest-paid drivers, could leave at the end of the year.

"I am going to be the future of the team definitely because I've got a long term contract and I'm very happy here," said Button. "That's the most important thing, the other issues don't really faze me in any way.

"I'm the happiest I've ever been in Formula One, most confident, the way I work with the engineers...I'm a lot more experienced on the technical side which is very important.

Villeneuve stood by his comments.

"I think now we know where we stand, so I think we're just going to work a little bit more separately but there won't be any problems," he said. "When you say something, there's no reason to change it. Now we've had our chat, I don't really want to talk about it any more. Enough energy has been spent on it."

No Gagging

Team boss David Richards said he had no intention of muzzling either of his drivers.

"I very much have the opinion that the drivers should be individuals and characters in their own free right," he told a news conference. "I don't believe in gagging them for some corporate speak. I let them get on with things. Unless of course it goes one step too far and starts to damage the team.

"These things have to be allowed to sort themselves out. You can't resolve things for people."