McLaren’s Button plays down Alonso’s Schumacher fears

Britain’s Jenson Button played down Fernando Alonso’s view that former seven-times champion Michael Schumacher could race his way back into title contention this season.

After ending his three-year hiatus to return to racing with Mercedes GP last season, Schumacher could finish only ninth in the drivers’ championship in 2010.

Schumacher was ninth fastest in testing in Valencia last Thursday and Alonso, the world champion in 2005 and 2006, has backed the German to become one of the pacesetters when the 2011 season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 13.

Although Schumacher’s Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn has said he expects the German veteran to be better this season, Button says it is just too early to tell.

“I don’t think it is possible to judge how Michael Schumacher will race in 2011,” said the 31-year-old.

“No one expected what happened (to him) in 2010.

“Fernando saying Schumacher is his main rival this season, maybe he does think that, or maybe he is trying to make a point, who knows?

“There are going to be five champions racing this season and I wouldn’t like to pick out who will be the winner this season.”

Having won the world title in 2009, Button and his Mercedes McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 champion, are making final preparations in their bid to beat last season’s winner, Sebastian Vettel, of Red Bull.

Along with Hamilton, Button was at Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz on Friday for the launch of McLaren-Mercedes’s new MP4-26 car.

Both drivers looked fit and sharp as they aim to build on improving last year’s standings of fourth for Hamilton and fifth for Button in the championship.

“We’re not here to finish second this season,” insisted Button.

“Someone asked me what our aims are for the season and I think it is fairly obvious.”