Japanese GP: Jenson Button says victory is possible for McLaren

Jenson Button is confident he can
fight for victory in Sunday's Japanese
Grand Prix despite starting eighth.
The McLaren driver qualified third
behind the Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel
and Mark Webber but has a five-place
grid penalty for changing a gearbox.
"If it was a straightforward race, you'd
have no chance of victory from eighth,"
Button said. "But I don't think it's going
to be straightforward."
Button said race strategy would be
"difficult" because of tyre problems.
"The tyres are difficult for everyone
here," Button said.
"They have been difficult all year but
especially here with blistering and
graining - strategy is going to be
important.
"It's going to be a thinking drivers' race
and our engineers are very good at
thinking on their feet in difficult
situations.
"It's not going to be easy but we'll give
it everything we've got.
"There will be four cars in front that will
be very quick in the race, the two Red
Bulls and the two Lotus. They will be
tough to beat but we will still go for the
win."
Button was 0.451secs slower than
Vettel's pole position lap, but he said
the pace shown by his team-mate
Lewis Hamilton during his race-
simulation run in Friday practice
suggested the McLaren would be strong
in the race.
Button did not do a race-simulation
run because a set-up mistake meant he
ran out of time.
"I felt really good with the car today,"
Button said after qualifying, "and I really
do feel we'll have a good race.
"You've got to think for the win.
"Lewis's run yesterday was by the far
most consistent, the least amount of
degradation and blisters, and
compared to the Red Bulls it was much,
much quicker. It's promising."
Hamilton struggled in qualifying and
ended up down in ninth place.
He was hindered by a spin by Lotus
driver Kimi Raikkonen, which meant he
had to back off on his final qualifying
lap, but Hamilton said a mistake on set-
up meant he would not have been able
to challenge at the front anyway,
although he would have been "fourth
or fifth".
"I wasn't quick enough," he said. "Big,
big struggle in qualifying. Huge mistake
with the set-up I went with but that's
motor racing.
"Masses of understeeer, full lock
everywhere and it wouldn't go round
the corner.
"I'll just have to paddle around with the
set-up I have and look after my tyres
and see if I can make up some places."