Title battle ‘completely open’: Button

WOKING: Reigning world champion Jenson Button thinks the title race is still wide open, despite lying fifth in the standings with four races left. The next race is in Japan, where the McLaren driver has never won a race, but said he felt confident.

“Obviously there’s no room for mistakes but any of the top five drivers could easily steal the title,” said Button. “It might seem a disadvantage to be behind in the standings but make no mistake, I know I can win this title.”

With four races left in the season, Button has 177 points, 25 fewer than championship leader, Red Bull driver Mark Webber. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso is second with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton third and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel fourth, four points ahead of Button.

The defending champion has only been on the podium in one of the last six races. Last time out in Singapore, Button came home in fourth place, but he said he felt confident of making a serious challenge next time out at Suzuka.

“I love the whole Suzuka experience. The whole atmosphere is invariably extremely tense and frantic.”

Hamilton echoed Button’s remarks about the demanding nature of the Suzuka circuit, where he finished a brilliant third in an uncompetitive car last year. Hamilton has retired from the last two races after collisions with other drivers, but he said now was “not the time to hold back, it is the time to fight”.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2010.