Button not writing off title chances yet

Jun.27 (GMM) Jenson Button is refusing to write off his chances of winning the 2012 title.

Jenson Button, McLaren Mercedes

Photo by: xpb.cc

Since becoming the first race winner of the season, the McLaren driver entered a performance slump that has stranded him 62 points off Fernando Alonso's points lead.

"The gap to Fernando is more points than I've got," Button, whose performance took a step forward at Valencia last weekend, said.

Notwithstanding the gap, he is staying positive.

"It (the gap)'s still not a lot, though," the 32-year-old insisted. "We've still got 12 races."

He thinks his MP4-27 will be strong next time out, for the Woking based team and its drivers' home race.

"Silverstone is a high speed circuit, where our strength is," said Button. "Our weakness is low speed. It's a circuit where we should be strong."

He said winning the championship is still possible, even though he is lagging in the points standings not only to Alonso but also the Red Bull and Lotus drivers, teammate Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

"At least I've another 12 races, so although I'm a long way behind, it is still possible," said Button.

"But I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about going to my home race and driving a fast, flowing circuit which hopefully our car should work well on."