Formula One news

Button slams Briatore comments

Jenson Button has responded to comments directed at the Brawn team from Flavio Briatore; after the FIA's announcement this week that double diffuser devices - as first seen from Brawn, Toyota and Williams - are fully legal, Briatore criticised the credibility of the success experienced by Button and team-mate Barrichello so far this year.

"The drivers in our team have been and are world champions," Renault team principal Briatore told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport. "The championship is now fought between a practically retired driver and another one who is a good guy but a paracarro (Italy's equivalent of 'slow coach'). To make up the gap to those teams is impossible."

Button, who has won the first two Grands Prix for the new Brawn GP team, responded to the comments from his old boss in China. "Unless he is at the front of F1, I am sure any team hurts the credibility of F1," Frome's Button responded. "He also needs to remember that he tried to employ me for this year."

His last comment could result in repercussions inside the Renault team, after rumours surrounded the drive of Nelson Piquet at the end of 2008. "He is obviously a very angry man after the diffuser issues," Button continued, about Briatore. "He is obviously very disappointed that they haven't produced a car that is as competitive as ours. We have produced a very competitive car because of the work force we have back at Brackley, and you cannot take it away from them. It would be very unfair to say that - they have worked very, very hard in very difficult circumstances and it is very unfair for Flavio to comment as he has, just because he is a little bit bitter."

Button, who posted the fastest time in Shanghai on Friday, drove for Briatore when the Italian retook control of the Benetton team in 2001, which then became Renault the following season. Despite strong performances from the Englishman, he was sacked and replaced in the car by Fernando Alonso for 2003.

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