Button frustration over fourth

Jenson Button rued a missed podium place at the German Grand Prix but was still celebrating finishing in fourth position which put him back in Formula One’s elite.

The Honda driver kept up his qualifying form to claim his best finish since March and end a frustrating five-race points drought.

He was relieved to be back at the front after a nightmare spell, but was still left wondering what might have been had McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen not edged ahead for third late in the race.

The 26-year-old said: “It’s great to get a fourth place but it’s a pity I didn’t get on the podium. It’s nice to be fighting again at the front.

I am very happy with fourth but you always want to achieve more, unless you win.”

Button had a podium in his grasp until the 58th of 67 laps, when a charging Raikkonen forced his way past.

The Englishman suffered a sudden drop in pace, which he blamed on a tyre problem, and insisted he had no way of holding off the McLaren driver.

“I didn’t want to end up in the side of Kimi and that’s what would have happened if I’d have braked later,” he added.

“The problem I had in the last stint was the tyres are sensitive and they screwed me. “I had no chance to keep Kimi behind, he was two seconds a lap quicker. It is a pity but I had a great race and enjoyed it so much.

“The McLaren was just too quick, in the last stint they seemed to get quicker and we got slower. “Fourth position is a bloody good performance from us on a circuit that is pretty tough.”

While Button was scrapping with Raikkonen for third place, Michael Schumacher was well clear on his way to a Ferrari one-two which brings him within 11 points on the championship lead.

But Schumacher’s title rival Fernando Alonso was lacklustre on his way to fifth and Button believes the championship momentum has swung away from his former Renault team.

He said: “I think it’s going to be very tough for Fernando. He has got the lead but it’s not a lead you can sit back and relax with because the pace isn’t there.

“You might see a change around in Hungary but personally I think it’s going to be very difficult for Renault to beat them.”

Alonso was not the only driver to leave Hockenheim with plenty to dwell on following a torrid day for David Coulthard.

The Red Bull driver was pitched airborne by Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher on the first lap, who described it as an “unlucky collision”.

Even though his car escaped damage, Coulthard lost several places and had to soldier on and missed out on the top 10, leaving him with few words to say.

“I started 10th and finished 11th. That was my race and I’ve nothing more to say,” he said.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner added: “He was lucky to get away without any suspension damage but ultimately it did cost him any chance of a decent result.”

Coulthard had qualified two places ahead of team-mate Christian Klien, who took a point for eighth.