New system to work in Button's favour – Ecclestone

Jenson Button on Wednesday gave a mixed welcome to the new 'gold medals' points system, despite Bernie Ecclestone predicting the Brawn driver could benefit most from it in 2009.

Button, his veteran team-mate Rubens Barrichello and the new BGP 001 were the shock winter pacesetters, moving F1 Chief Executive Ecclestone to predict a flurry of early race wins.

The unique mechanics of the new points system could indeed work in Brawn's favour, for example if the team has done the best job with the concept of the 2009 rules, but ultimately cannot keep up with the development pace of better-funded rivals.

"If Brawn has got it right, there's a chance that for the first three races we could maybe see Jenson winning," Ecclestone told the BBC.

"Now that it is not points that decides the championship, if Jenson has three races in his pocket then it is not bad - although I suppose in the end you have to look at the old timers like Alonso, Kimi, Felipe and Mr Hamilton," he added.