• 2010 Season

Button tips five or six teams to be quick

Jenson Button said he is expecting 'a belter of a year' with plenty of competition © Sutton Images

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Jenson Button thinks there could be as many as five or six teams competing at the front this season, in what he is believes will be "a belter of a year".

The 2009 champion received the prestigious Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, and speaking at the event, said this year's title race will be more exciting than the last. He added that he expects more teams than just the favourites Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes to be fighting at the front.

"I think it will be a belter of a year this year," The Guardian reported Button as saying. "Not for me, I think for Formula One as a whole and for all of us who love Formula One and racing in Formula One. You've got four top teams, maybe even five or six that are going to be quick and competitive. With the new regulations we don't really know who is the quickest team. It's a great position to be in, I think it's great for the sport and hopefully will attract more viewers and fans."

He also said Michael Schumacher's comeback added extra spice to the proceedings for everyone involved.

"Michael Schumacher coming back I think is great for the sport. He's 41, people are saying he's too old, he's not. I'm 30, at 41 I can't imagine myself racing, I'll go and do something else, but Michael's realised I think it's difficult to find something else to do that gives you that buzz like Formula One does. He's back and with four world champions on the grid all in competitive cars [Button, Hamilton, Schumacher and Fernando Alonso], and new regulations, it should be a very exciting season. Last year was great having a couple of new teams fighting at the front but there were some negatives as well, mostly off circuit."

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