Jenson Button firmly believes he and Michael Schumacher will defy their critics this season.

This week former Ferrari star Eddie Irvine claimed Button "will be murdered" by 2008 world champion and new team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who is effectively de facto number one at McLaren, even if the team categorically state otherwise.

Yet far from being irritated or annoyed by the jibes, Button remained cool and calm, saying: "It makes my life a lot easier because I'm in a much more relaxed position than people telling me I'm going to destroy my team-mate. I can just focus on doing the best job I can and getting the best out of myself and the best out of the team."

Button today ploughed his way through the snow and ice to pay his first official visit to the McLaren Technology Centre since joining the Woking-based team from Brackley's Brawn GP team at the start of the year.

Taking the first steps to defending the world title he won last year, Button had a seat fitting and spent time in the simulator.

Button now has just over two months to the start of the new season to acquaint himself with a new team and to prepare himself for the challenge of going up against Hamilton.

There are many, including doyens of the sport such as Sir Jackie Stewart, who have derided Button's decision to join McLaren, in particular for going head to head with a driver who is ingrained into the team.

But Button added: "In a way, I don't think it's a negative. Maybe it's a positive. It helps you relax and focus on doing the important stuff.

"For me, it's to concentrate on improving the car and improving myself, and I'm not one for answering back, there's no point. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I might not agree with it, but everyone is entitled to it.

"The important thing is I'm confident in my ability, so I don't feel I need to prove anything to anyone. I am here initially for myself and also for McLaren. People's comments don't change anything."