Villeneuve Denies Sauber Rift

Jacques Villeneuve has shrugged off speculation that his place in the Sauber team may be under threat after a disappointing performance in Melbourne, where he finished 13th in the opening round of the world championship.

"I've learned not to read the papers," the Canadian said at the Sepang circuit, site of Sunday's Malaysian grand prix. "We went the wrong way with the set-up of the car and the team knows that."

Villeneuve, who won the 1997 world championship in a Williams, has struggled to regain competitive form after missing most of last season. However, sources close to Sauber have denied that the BAR test driver Anthony Davidson has been approached to be his successor.

"We're working hard and there's no problem internally," Villeneuve added. "I love racing, I love the competition. And I don't want to be racing at the back so I'll be working as hard as I can to get closer to the front.

"The bad winter testing is affecting us. We had mechanical problems whenever it was warm and then when we got to Imola we got half a day and we got snowed in. We just arrived in Melbourne not ready, not really understanding the car and how it works, and that will take a bit of time."

Jenson Button has played down his prospects of heading the field in his BAR on Sunday. "We're not going to be challenging for a win but we're going to be a lot closer to the front than we were in Melbourne," said the British driver.

"I think if we get the strategy right, as I'm sure we can, there's a good chance that we can be fighting for a top-five position. I think here is a circuit that should suit our car."