Jenson Button has said that his McLaren team will not deviate from their policy of impartiality towards their drivers – even if one becomes mathematically favourite.
With his no score in Belgium, Button has fallen behind in the title race and pundits and fans alike have been asking if and when McLaren would decide to favour Lewis Hamilton.
But in an interview with talkSPORT Button rubbished the idea that the team would prefer his team mate over him.
“No, we won’t…it’s a very fair team; we’ve seen that in the past. And that’s why I wanted to join this team.
“I’ve got a great team-mate in Lewis, we’ve both won world championships in the past, and the great thing is we are given equal equipment. It is exactly what it should be and that is the way you want to win a championship.”
He was then asked whether he thought his championship prospects were over.
He replied: “Definitely not. I was very dejected after the race and was very down, but in reality 35 points is not that much.
“If you look in the old money of last year’s points system, it equates to 14 points – which is not a lot of points. It is a win and a fifth place, so it is all still to play for and, as it heats up in the last six races, there is going to be a lot more action.
“It will be about staying out of trouble and every race I go to I have to be fighting for victory.”
Button said he had no doubts that McLaren would maintain equal support for both its drivers – as he ruled out the scenario of the team throwing all its weight behind Hamilton.
Button has also revealed that Vettel phoned him on Sunday night in Belgium to apologise for the crash that dented both their title challenges.
“Seb called me after the race in the evening to apologise for the accident he caused, which was good, but it doesn’t give me my points back,” he said. “He didn’t do it on purpose. It was definitely a mistake, but I was the person who paid the price. That is the pity for me. But we’ve got to put that behind us and look forward now.”
