The Frome-born racer, who will see out his two-year loan deal from Williams this season, will now compete for his third team in four seasons.

Button, despite outshining team-mate Jarno Trulli and scoring 11 of Renault’s 15 points this season, is to be replaced by Spanish test driver Fernando Alonso.

Last year team boss Flavio Briatore chose to let Giancarlo Fisichella leave what was then Benetton to join Jordan, despite the Italian consistently outperforming Button, and bring in Trulli.

Villeneuve, while welcoming Button’s arrival - although concerned about his lack of experience - concedes to being staggered by some of the decisions currently being made in Formula One.

"I’ve never really taken much time to consider what is important (in Formula One), apart from being fast for a team," said Villeneuve, on BBC Radio Five Live.

"If you just look at Formula One and a lot of the signings that have been going on for different teams, it is obvious that being fast is very secondary.

"I’m not saying Jenson is not fast because this year he is a lot more competitive than Trulli.

"All I am saying is it’s very difficult to understand, or to know why, decisions are made.

"I really don’t know why teams sign certain drivers. I’ve been pulling my hair out a few times when I’ve seen what’s happened at the Renault team for the last two years.

"The better driver of the season always gets the sack. I find that very impressive, and I really don’t understand how or why you can come up with a decision like that.

"There’s a lot of these decisions, and people don’t notice there’s a price too pay for that, and then they just find excuses."

Villeneuve is at least on good terms with Button, as he added: "Jenson will bring his youth to the team. He doesn’t have experience yet - not much.

"Last year was a season lost, but this year he seems to have overshadowed Trulli and done a good job, so I’ve no idea what his experience will bring.

"But we get along, so that’s already a positive. It’s very important, otherwise you are stressed all day for being around someone you don’t like and that’s never enjoyable."

It is widely assumed 1997 world champion Villeneuve, in the last year of his deal with BAR, will compete alongside Button and that Olivier Panis - out of contract this winter - will leave.

Team boss Dave Richards, though, is demanding a commitment from Villeneuve beyond next year, but the 31-year-old is hinting he wants to be back up at the front of the grid before long, otherwise he faces burn-out.

"I’ve got a contract for next year and the only reason that won’t be a contract for next year is if we discuss it, and the only reason you discuss something is because you gain something else out of it," added Villeneuve.

"Unless someone arrives with a platter of gold with something beautiful written on it then I don’t see why I should really discuss it."

Then when asked whether he would still be racing in five years’ time, he stated: " If I spend the next two or three years at the back of the grid then I will probably be burnt out by then, so it depends a lot on that.

"My wish is to still be racing in five years at the front, so I need to start winning very soon."