By Phil Huff
January 15 2003

It's looking likely that David Richards will have a real fight on his hands in 2003 between his two drivers, Jenson Button and Jacques Villeneuve. After Jacques Villeneuve's claims that his new team-mate Jenson Button will need to earn the Canadian's respect, the English youngster has hit back.

"I am not here to earn Jacques' respect," says Button according to the BBC. "I am here to win and move the team forward. We are not going to move the team forward if we start getting petty and arguing about things.

"When we are winning, then it's fair enough," he continued. "Then we are going to be very competitive team-mates. You don't need to be best friends with your team-mate or laugh at each other's jokes. You just need to work together and not keep secrets from each other."

Villeneuve however remains sceptical of the youngster's talents and dismissive of his role within the team.

"The team prefers to use him for that kind of stuff," said Villeneuve yesterday "but the team prefer me for the in-car activity which is racing hard.

"He brings to the sport what the boy bands bring to music," added the Canadian. "He is young and cute which is not bad, I guess, for the girls."