Button insists he will be worthy champion

A slight stomach upset is not the only complaint bothering Jenson Button ahead of qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

After Brazilian comedians threw a toy black cat at Lewis Hamilton prior to his big race a year ago, the same funny-men erected a ladder over the entrance to Button's chosen restaurant on Thursday evening.

The Brawn driver tempted fate by walking through the unlucky entrance, insisting he is not superstitious.

But his detractors have noted that because he hasn't won a race since June, the bigger risk is of being remembered as a champion who all but crawled to the sport's coveted prize.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone told the Mirror newspaper that he hopes Button dawdles one more time on Sunday, before winning like a champion in the Abu Dhabi finale in two weeks.

"That would be doing it in style. People would remember that," he said.

Button, however, said he doesn't need to win any more races to prove he is the worthy world champion.

"Winning it like a champion is (about) winning the championship. It is getting more points than anyone else over 17 races," he told reporters.

"Sure, the dream would be to win this race. But the biggest dream is to win the world championship. Lewis finished fifth (in 2008) and took the title and every driver would have loved to have been in his shoes."