Button vows to climb field

QUALIFYING TIMES 1 M Schumacher 1:13.306 2 JP Montoya 1:13.668 3 J Button 1:13.674 * 4 K Raikkonen 1:13.690 5 D Coulthard 1:13.821 6 F Alonso 1:13.874 7 J Trulli 1:14.134 8 R Barrichello 1:14.278 9 T Sato 1:14.287 10 O Panis 1:14.368 * Button will start 13th on grid Grid positions in full Latest pictures

Britain's Jenson Button is determined to battle through the field in Sunday's German Grand Prix.

The BAR driver was third fastest in qualifying but will start from 13th place after being penalised 10 places for replacing his engine on Friday.

"It's a pity I'm not at the front to be able to use it," said Button.

"But even so, it's going to be a very exciting race for me from 13th - there are some good overtaking opportunities here. We have a very good race pace."

He added: "Hopefully we are capable of getting some points because it is important to consistently be scoring the points, even though it might not be many."

BAR's hopes were further hampered when a device that would have allowed quicker and smoother cornering was outlawed.

The International Automobile Federation said stewards had told the team not to use a software-controlled device found installed on the spare car.

"Obviously we believed it would have given us a performance advantage, otherwise we wouldn't have been using it," said BAR technical director Geoff Willis.

"The sport has quite complicated rules and every now and then you have to go into a little bit more detail about establishing exactly what is and isn't permissible."

Willis suggested that BAR could appeal against the FIA ruling, and he added: "There will be further discussions about it.

"The ruling at the moment has potential for consequences elsewhere on the car systems."