In an interview with The Times, Bernie Ecclestone warns that Jenson Button must 'up his game' if he is to avoid becoming one of the sport's also rans.

"Maybe he is flattering the car," said the Englishman. "But I think he's been around long enough now - he's got to make his mark. If he does, there is no reason why he can't be a superstar for us. He's got all the qualities in and outside the car.

"I would say that Jenson is much like the old-time drivers," he continued. "The Graham Hill type of driver with all the talent that they need, except nowadays you've got to be dedicated, too."

In August, the Englishman broke his duck, taking his maiden win, albeit a fortuitous one, at the Hungaroring, as Alonso and Schumacher fell by the wayside.

In its first season as an entrant, having bought out British American Racing in late 2005, the team is still sorting itself out, and Ecclestone believes that Button can be integral to the Japanese outfit's progress.

"The biggest thing that can help Honda is Jenson," he said. "He needs to get stuck into it and stuck into them, making sure they deliver him the equipment to make him a consistent winner."

However, there's a sting in the tail, as the F1 supremo delivers a stark warning: "If you look at his achievements or results, they are mostly the product of people stopping in front of him rather than Jenson overtaking," said Ecclestone, "the team and Jenson need to make a little bit better effort."