Just forget your rivals, Jenson Button, and you'll get the job done

Creeping over the line: Jenson Button has only managed one podium finish in his last eight races — his second place at Monza — but is still on course to edge out his rivals and win the title, according to former F1 star David Coulthard

Matt Majendie @mattmajendie

13 April 2012

David Coulthard has downplayed Jenson Button's chances of wrapping up the world title in a blaze of glory at the Brazilian Grand Prix but says that only car trouble now stands in the way of him and the championship.

Button's team-mate Rubens Barrichello is breathing down his neck just 14 points behind in the championship battle, with Sebastian Vettel a further two points back, but Coulthard called on his close friend to "forget about either driver".

"The only thing in the back of Jenson's mind will be the reliability of his Brawn," said former McLaren and Red Bull driver Coulthard. "It's been good all season but reliability can always be an issue and strike you when you least expect it to. That's just a simple fact of racing and it's the only thing that can really derail his title hopes now.

"That said, he should win the title, though. He just needs to finish both races realistically and it's job done."

Button enjoyed a breathtaking start to the season, winning six of the first seven races on the calendar, but has managed just one podium place since then - second spot behind Barrichello at the Italian Grand Prix. As a result, critics have accused the 29-year-old of stuttering his way to the title but Coulthard said he was confident Button would be paying no attention to his doubters.

"Jenson, just like everyone else in the Brawn team and all those watching back at home, would love to be winning races and rounding off the world championship with a bang but the simple fact is that it's just not going to happen," said the Scot, whose best finish in the world championship was third on four occasions.

"All that matters to him is that he wraps up the world title, however he does that. He needs to stay cool and pick up the points and he shouldn't be criticised for that."

Third place at Interlagos this weekend would be enough to guarantee Button the title, making him Britain's 10th world champion in the process, although some of his accusers have suggested the Brawn GP racer would be an undeserving champion, an assessment which riled Coulthard.

"How is he not a deserving world champion?" he said. "He's beaten Rubens in 10 out of 15 races this season and he's won six grands prix which is comfortably more than anyone else so, yes, you'd have to say he would be a very deserving champion.

"You need to remember that's more races than Lewis Hamilton won to become champion a year ago."

Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix build-up draws parallels to Hamilton's bid to be crowned world champion in his rookie year in 2007. Hamilton had boasted a 17-point lead with two races left - more than Button currently has over Barrichello and Vettel - but lost out to Kimi Raikkonen.

However, Coulthard said it was pointless to draw comparisons, adding "history has no bearing on the outcome of this world championship". Despite the lack of race victories in recent months, Coulthard said his former F1 rival had been driving like a champion in the last three races.

Button finished eighth at the Japanese Grand Prix - a place behind Barrichello - following on from an impressive fifth at Singapore the previous weekend - one better than the Brazilian - and his runners-up spot at Monza.

"I've been impressed by how cool he's been," added Coulthard.

"People were saying he was cracking up a few weeks ago but I never saw that and I'm not seeing that now. That's merely the ebb and flow of F1.

"Just look at the Japanese Grand Prix. He could have got flustered at the start but he didn't and that is the real mark of a champion."

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