Bernie tells Button to ‘stick with Honda’
F1's 76-year-old supremo said he would not advise the Briton, who in Malaysia qualified fifteenth, to simply quit the struggling team.
"He really ought to stick with Honda to make it work, in my view," Ecclestone said.
Button appeared frustrated with Honda's dismal form in Malaysia and on Saturday told reporters that only his "crap" car is preventing him from being a major force in F1.
"If I was in a McLaren or a car at the front I'd be doing a very good job," he promised.
Bernie, however, said: "He needs to get his head down. Ok, so his current problems may not be his fault, and it's a shame they've happened, but he's just got to get things back on track."
Bernie agrees that, at the age of 27, time is running out for Button to remain high on teams' lists of sought after potential world champions.
Ecclestone said: "Jenson really must get his act together this year, otherwise he's going to find the future very difficult, that's what it amounts to."